It is possible to get a false positive test result. This happens when a doctor or laboratory has not performed a confirmatory antibody test before giving people their results. When a person has an antibody test, the lab usually runs two different kinds of tests. One is called an EIA test which is highly sensitive. It can sometimes overreact, so a positive result with the EIA is usually followed up with a RIBA test which is a sophisticated, highly-specific, antibody test.

A positive antibody test could mean one of two things. It could mean that a person is infected with hepatitis C and is a chronic carrier. Or, it could mean that the person was infected with hepatits C but has cleared it from his or her body. An antibody test cannot tell anyone which of those two categories applies. Once infected, you will always have hepatitis C antibodies, and therefore will always test positive on a hepatitis C screening test. See similar questions...

Yes, a false positive test means the test looks as if it is positive, but it is really negative. This happens more often in people who have a low risk for the disease. It is important to confirm the test result a second time. See similar questions...

Hepatitis C antibodies have been found in a blood sample. This indicates that the person whose blood was tested has been infected with hepatitis C and can transmit the virus to someone else. See similar questions...

False negative results are more common than false positives - and are primarily due to inaccuracies in timing of the test or carelessness in the test procedure itself. Please follow test instructions with circumspection and precision. A false negative result can also stem from using a diluted urine sample and/or from taking a test too early in pregnancy. First morning urine contains the most concentrated presence of hCG - which makes it the ideal sample for pregnancy testing. See similar questions...

The human body makes antibodies to fight off all kinds of infections. Your body creates antibodies to the hepatitis C virus if you are infected with it. This service tests your blood for these antibodies. See similar questions...

A test for Hepatitis C involves taking a sample of blood, and must be done by order of a doctor. You will need to get your doctor to test you. Those who test positive for Hepatitis C will receive a letter from the health department with additional information. To receive this letter, please call 454-4114 and ask to speak with a member of the Disease Control Unit. See similar questions...

A positive test result may mean that your dog has bladder cancer. However, there are conditions other than bladder cancer that can cause a positive result. A positive test result will be used in conjunction with signs, symptoms, and possibly other diagnostic tests such as ultrasound to make a definitive diagnosis for your dog. See similar questions...

Yes. A false positive test means the test looks as if it is positive, but it is really negative. This happens more often in persons who have a low risk for the disease for which they are being tested. For example, false positive anti-HCV tests happen more often in persons such as blood donors who are at low risk for hepatitis C. See similar questions...

A "false-reactive" (or "false-positive") test result means that the initial screening test was "reactive" but a more precise follow-up test was negative. See similar questions...

Tests are very accurate but not 100 percent accurate. Usually samples are divided so if an initial test is positive a confirmation test can be conducted. Federal guidelines are in place to ensure accuracy and fairness in drug testing programs. See similar questions...

A false positive hearing screening test result is when a baby does not have a hearing loss but the newborn does not pass the hearing screening. Hearing screening tests are not meant to diagnose hearing loss in infants. Instead, they are meant to find all infants that might have a hearing loss. Because they are not a diagnostic test, hearing screening tests sometimes misidentify infants as having a hearing loss. See similar questions...

Home Access® Hepatitis C Check Tests are designed to provide you with a scientific test result that you can trust. Home Access' Hepatitis C Check Tests use the same tests run by doctors and hospitals and is clinically proven to be greater than 99% accurate. See similar questions...

Any Hepatitis C test checks your blood specimen for Hepatitis C antibodies. The body creates antibodies to Hepatitis C when an individual becomes infected by the virus. By testing blood for these antibodies, a laboratory tell if Hepatitis C is present. See similar questions...

In 2-5% of individuals who have recently received an influenza vaccination, there may be a temporary false positive EIA. See similar questions...

False positive tests are rare - though there are instances and conditions where they can occur. For example, some tissues in a non-pregnant woman can produce hCG, though the levels are usually so low they are not detectable by home pregnancy tests (though our tests are the most sensitive on the market). Secondly, research indicates that half of all "conceptions" (fertilized eggs) do not go forward as a developing pregnancy. See similar questions...

The most commonly used syphilis tests screen for an antibody to the syphilis organism. Lupus patients sometimes have a very similar antibody. This similar antibody, the antiphospholipid antibody (aPL), can cause an incorrect positive result on a syphilis test. If the doctor suspects that the patient may not really have syphilis, he may choose to then run a different, more complicated and expensive test that checks specifically for the syphilis organism. See similar questions...

This means that a hepatitis C test was not able to determine whether hepatitis C antibodies were in the blood or not. There are a number of medical factors that could cause this, including a person who may be changing from negative to positive. In any case, another test is recommended. See similar questions...

insufficient result means that the hepatitis C test could not be done successfully. The most common reason for this is that there was not enough blood available for the test. If you are taking a blood sample for our tests, be sure to follow the instructions correctly. See similar questions...

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is spread mostly from contact with infected blood, such as a blood transfusion (before 1992), kidney dialysis, or through injecting drug use. It is rarely sexually transmitted, although sex with multiple partners or a history of sexually transmitted diseases can put people at risk for it. The virus can enter the body through minor cuts or scrapes by razors, toothbrushes or on needles used for tattooing, body piercing or on materials used to snort drugs. See similar questions...