• What is a hepatitis panel?

  A hepatitis panel is a group of blood tests that checks whether you have a viral hepatitis infection now or had one in the past. It may also show that you are immune to certain types of hepatitis because you had a vaccination.

  Hepatitis is a type of liver disease that causes inflammation of the liver. The most common cause of hepatitis is a group of viruses called hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. A hepatitis panel is a blood test that checks to see if you have a hepatitis infection caused by one of these viruses.

  Hepatitis viruses spread in different ways. They affect your health in different ways, too:

  • Hepatitis A is commonly spread by eating or drinking food or water that has been contaminated with even the tiniest traces of stool (poop) from an infected person. This may happen if an infected person doesn't wash their hands after using the bathroom.

    Most people recover from hepatitis A on their own without any lasting liver damage.

  • Hepatitis B is spread by contact with body fluids from an infected person, such as blood, semen, and saliva (spit). The contact usually happens from having sex with an person who has the infection or by sharing needles or other items used for injecting drugs.

    Most people recover from a hepatitis B infection on their own with no lasting liver damage. But some people may have a chronic (long-term) infection, which can lead to chronic liver disease and liver cancer. Anti-viral medicine may help chronic cases.

  • Hepatitis C is spread by contact with blood from an infected person. This usually happens through sharing needles or other items used for injecting drugs.

    Most people who get hepatitis C will have a chronic infection. In most cases, medicine can cure hepatitis C. Without treatment, chronic hepatitis C may lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer.

  A hepatitis panel includes tests for hepatitis antigens and antibodies:

  • Hepatitis antigens are substances in the hepatitis virus that trigger your immune system to fight the virus.
  • Hepatitis antibodies are proteins that your immune system makes to help fight a hepatitis infection.

  Hepatitis antigens and antibodies can be found in your blood even if you don't have symptoms of an infection.

  Other names: acute hepatitis panel, viral hepatitis panel, hepatitis screening panel

• What is it used for?
• Why do I need a hepatitis panel?
• What happens during a hepatitis panel?
• Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test?
• Are there any risks to the test?
• What do the results mean?
• Is there anything else I need to know about a hepatitis panel?
• References

• Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) Antibody, IgM Reference Range

  Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.

  Your result is Negative.

  Having negative results for IgM means that you have not been recently infected with hepatitis A virus (HAV).
• What is hepatitis A?
• How is hepatitis A transmitted?
• What is a hepatitis A antibody test?
• Why do I need a hepatitis A antibody test?
• What happens during a hepatitis A antibody test?
• Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test?
• Are there any risks to the test?
• What do the results mean?
• Is there anything else I need to know about a hepatitis A antibody test?

Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."

• Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Reference Range

  Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.

  Your result is Negative.

  
  
  
• What is hepatitis B?
• How is hepatitis B transmitted?
• What is a hepatitis B surface Ag test?
• What is it used for?
• Why do I need a hepatitis B surface Ag test?
• What happens during a hepatitis B surface Ag test?
• Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test?
• Are there any risks to the test?
• What do the results mean?
• When should I see a doctor?
• Is there anything else I need to know about a hepatitis B surface Ag test?
• References

Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."

• Hepatitis B Virus Core IgM Ab Reference Range

  Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.

  Your result is Negative.

  This result means that you don't have an acute HBV infection. However, it does not rule out a past infection.
• What is hepatitis B?
• How is hepatitis B transmitted?
• What is a hepatitis B core antibody test?
• What is it used for?
• Why do I need a hepatitis B core antibody test?
• What happens during a hepatitis B core antibody test?
• Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test?
• Are there any risks to the test?
• What do the results mean?
• When should I see a doctor?
• Is there anything else I need to know about a hepatitis B core antibody test?

Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."

• Hepatitis C Antibody Reference Range

  Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.

  Your result is Negative/Non-Reactive.

  No antibodies for HCV were found in your blood. This means that either you don't have Hepatitis C or that the exposure to the virus happened too recently (less than 6 months).
• Hepatitis C Antibody IgG Reference Range
• What is hepatitis C?
• How is hepatitis C transmitted?
• What is a hepatitis C antibody test?
• What is it used for?
• Why do I need a hepatitis C antibody test?
• What happens during a hepatitis C antibody test?
• Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test?
• Are there any risks to the test?
• What do the results mean?
• When should I see a doctor?
• References

Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."

• Fibrosis Score Reference Range

  Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.

  kPa

  6

  8

  12.5

  Your result is F0/F1.

  A score in this range indicates no or minimal liver fibrosis (scarring) and no evidence of progressive liver disease.

  Related conditions

  • No or mild fibrosis
• What is an elastography?
• What is it used for?
• Why do I need an elastography?
• What happens during an elastography?
• Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test?
• Are there any risks to the test?
• What do the results mean?
• Is there anything else I need to know about an elastography?

Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."

• Liver Biopsy Reference Range

  Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.

  Your result is Normal.

  The liver tissue is normal.
• What is a liver biopsy?
• Why do I need a liver biopsy?
• What happens during a liver biopsy?
• Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test?
• Are there any risks to the test?
• What do the results mean?
• References

Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."

• What is the most important information I should know about INTRON A?

  INTRON A can cause serious side effects that may cause death or worsen certain serious conditions that you may already have.

  Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the symptoms listed below while taking INTRON A. If symptoms get worse, or become severe and continue, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking INTRON A permanently. In many, but not all people, these symptoms go away after they stop taking INTRON A.

  1. Heart problems. Some people who take INTRON A may develop heart problems, including:

  • low blood pressure
  • fast heart rate or abnormal heartbeats
  • trouble breathing or chest pain
  • heart attacks or heart muscle problems (cardiomyopathy)

  2. Stroke or symptoms of a stroke. Symptoms may include weakness, loss of coordination, and numbness. Stroke or symptoms of a stroke may happen in people who have some risk factors or no known risk factors for a stroke.

  3. Mental health problems, including suicide. INTRON A may cause you to develop mood or behavior problems that may get worse during treatment with INTRON A or after your last dose, including:

  • irritability (getting upset easily)
  • depression (feeling low, feeling bad about yourself, or feeling hopeless)
  • acting aggressive, being angry or violent
  • thoughts of hurting yourself or others, or suicide
  • former drug addicts may fall back into drug addiction or overdose

  If you have these symptoms, your healthcare provider should carefully monitor you during treatment with INTRON A and for 6 months after your last dose.

  4. New or worsening autoimmune disease. Some people taking INTRON A develop autoimmune diseases (a condition where the body's immune cells attack other cells or organs in the body), including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, sarcoidosis, and psoriasis. In some people who already have an autoimmune disease, the disease may get worse while on INTRON A.

  5. Infections. Some people who take INTRON A may get an infection. Symptoms may include:

  • fever
  • chills
  • bloody diarrhea
  • burning or pain with urination
  • urinating often
  • coughing up mucus (phlegm) that is coloured (for example yellow or pink)

  During treatment with INTRON A, you should see a healthcare provider regularly for check-ups and blood tests to make sure that your treatment is working, and to check for side effects.

• What is INTRON A?
• Who should not take INTRON A?
• What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking INTRON A?
• How should I take INTRON A?
• What are the possible side effects of INTRON A?
• How should INTRON A be stored?
• References

These FAQs provide a summary of the most important information about Interferon Alfa-2b Injection. If you would like more information or have any questions, talk to your healthcare provider.

• What is the most important information I should know about PEGASYS?

  Ribavirin in combination with PEGASYS may cause birth defects or death of your unborn baby. If you are pregnant or your sexual partner is pregnant or plans to become pregnant, do not take PEGASYS and Ribavirin combination therapy. You or your sexual partner should not become pregnant during treatment with PEGASYS and Ribavirin combination therapy and for 6 months after treatment is over. You must use 2 effective forms of birth control, one of which should be a condom with spermicide during treatment with PEGASYS and Ribavirin combination therapy, and for the 6 months after you stop treatment.

  • Females must have a pregnancy test before starting PEGASYS and Ribavirin combination therapy, every month while being treated, and every month for the 6 months after stopping treatment with PEGASYS and Ribavirin combination therapy.
  • If you or your female sexual partner becomes pregnant during treatment with PEGASYS and Ribavirin or within 6 months after you stop taking PEGASYS and Ribavirin, tell your healthcare provider right away.

  Mental health problems and suicide. PEGASYS may cause you to develop mood or behavioral problems, including:

  • irritability (getting upset easily)
  • depression (feeling low, feeling bad about yourself or feeling hopeless) and anxiety
  • aggressive behavior
  • former drug addicts may fall back into drug addiction or overdose
  • thoughts of hurting yourself or others, or suicide

  Heart problems. PEGASYS may cause heart problems, including:

  • high blood pressure
  • fast heart rate or abnormal heart beat
  • chest pain
  • heart attacks
  • trouble breathing

  Stroke or symptoms of a stroke. Symptoms may include weakness, loss of coordination, and numbness. Stroke or symptoms of a stroke may happen in people who have some risk factors or no known risk factors for a stroke.

  New or worsening autoimmune problems. Some people taking PEGASYS develop autoimmune problems (a condition where the body's immune cells attack other cells or organs in the body), such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and psoriasis. In some people who already have an autoimmune problem, it may get worse during your treatment with PEGASYS.

  Infections. Symptoms may include:

  • fever
  • chills
  • burning and painful urination
  • urinating often
  • coughing up yellow or pink mucus (phlegm)

  Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of these symptoms during treatment with PEGASYS.

  Before and during treatment with PEGASYS you will need to see your healthcare provider regularly and have blood tests to make sure that your treatment is working and to check for side effects.

  PEGASYS can cause serious side effects. Some of these side effects may cause death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms during treatment with PEGASYS.

  For more information about side effects, see "What are the possible side effects of PEGASYS?"

• What is PEGASYS?
• Who should not take PEGASYS?
• What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking PEGASYS?
• How should I take PEGASYS?
• What should I avoid while taking PEGASYS?
• What are the possible side effects of PEGASYS?
• How should PEGASYS be stored?
• References

These FAQs provide a summary of the most important information about Peginterferon Alfa-2a Injection. If you would like more information or have any questions, talk to your healthcare provider.