Why is testing important?

Testing is the only way to know if you have hepatitis C. 

Many people with hepatitis C do not experience symptoms. Even if you don't feel sick, the virus can slowly damage your liver over time. 

If you think you may have been exposed to hepatitis C, it’s important to get tested. If you have ongoing exposure to hepatitis C, get tested at least once a year.

How testing works

In Ontario, testing for hepatitis usually involves taking a sample of blood and sending it to a laboratory.

Testing for hepatitis C typically involves two steps.

Step 1, Antibody test: Have you ever had the virus?

Hepatitis C antibodies are proteins your immune system makes. An antibody test looks to see if these proteins are in your body.

• A positive antibody result means you have had hepatitis C at some point.
• An antibody test does not tell you if the hepatitis C virus is still in your body now.
• Antibodies stay in your body for life, even if:
  • you were treated and cured, or
  • your body cleared the virus on its own.
  • Once the antibody test result is positive, it will stay positive for the rest of your life. It will not become negative, even after you've cleared the virus or been cured. 

Step 2, Viral load test: Do you have the virus now?

If your antibody test result is positive, the next step is a viral load test.

• This test checks if the virus is still in your blood.
• If the virus is there, you have a hepatitis C infection. You can be cured with treatment.
• If the virus is not there, you do not have hepatitis C.

Important: Even if you’ve been cured of hepatitis C in the past, you can get the virus again.



The first type of testing looks for antibodies. Ask for a PCR test if you ever tested positive for hepatitis C antibodies in the past. 

The second test, called a PCR test, measures the amount of virus in your blood. 

A PCR test tells you if the hepatitis virus is currently present in your blood.

If the virus is present, you have a hepatitis C infection. 

Hepatitis C can be treated and you can be cured. If the virus is present, your healthcare provider will work with you on a care plan for treatment and cure. You can get tested any time you think might have been exposed to the hepatitis C virus. 

Learn more about hepatitis C

• About Hepatitis C
• Hepatitis C Testing
• Frequently Asked Questions, FAQ