Hepatitis C Test

Hepatitis C antibody screening via venous blood draw. Detects anti-HCV antibodies indicating current or past infection. A reactive result triggers confirmatory HCV-RNA PCR testing to distinguish resolved from active infection. The most affordable hepatitis screening option at Checkpoint München.

Hepatitis C is a bloodborne virus that progresses silently in the majority of cases — up to 80 percent of acutely infected individuals show no symptoms, and chronic infection can persist for decades before liver damage becomes clinically apparent. Routine screening is recommended for anyone with potential exposure through shared injection equipment, unsterile tattooing or piercing, sexual transmission routes involving mucosal trauma, or medical procedures in high-prevalence countries. The antibody test detects immunoglobulin G against hepatitis C viral proteins. A positive result does not distinguish between active and cleared infection, as antibodies persist indefinitely after exposure regardless of whether the virus was eliminated spontaneously or through treatment. Confirmatory HCV-RNA polymerase chain reaction testing is performed on any reactive sample to detect viral genetic material, confirming whether active viraemia is present. Since the introduction of direct-acting antiviral therapies, hepatitis C has become curable in over 95 percent of cases with an 8-to-12-week oral treatment course. Early detection through screening therefore translates directly into treatment access and prevention of cirrhosis, liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The test requires a standard venous blood draw with results typically available within a few working days.