should you wait and be tested is a month and a half to soon? also why is it when a nurse gets a needle stick how do they find out that they have antibodies right away ?
2006-07-17 09:19:56 · 3 answers · asked by slipknot 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Infectious Diseases
if you chose the more expensive RNA by PCR test, you can check within 10-14 days. If you chose the less expensive EIA screening test, then it might not turn positive for up to 15 weeks, but that would be a bit unusual. When someone gets a needlestick in the hospital we test them immediately to see if they had hepatitis prior to the needle stick so they won't claim to have gotten it from the needle stick later. The best way is to check one of the time periods as listed above and then check again 6 months later. If these are negative, you do not have it. If the EIA is positive, that only means you were exposed. If the PCR is positive, you have the infection. If HCV is discovered within a few months after infection, the cure rate is very high, up to 90% or more. If we discover it 5 years later, the cure rate falls considerable, probably 50-60% overall
2006-07-21 15:56:28 · answer #1 · answered by David D, MD 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Get tested once now and again in 6 months. If it doesn't show up after 6 months, you are medically considered clear. I have never heard of people not finding out for 5 years. I have heard of people not getting symptoms for 5 years though.
Get tested, put your sould at peace.
2006-07-17 10:55:32 · answer #2 · answered by Sara B 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
can take as long as 5 years, it did to a friens of mine
2006-07-17 10:24:19 · answer #3 · answered by freebuns76 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋