To diagnose hepatitis C infection, your health care provider may prescribe a blood test. If the test results indicate that you do have hepatitis C, there are further tests that may need to be conducted to determine the best course of treatment for you based on your hepatitis C genotype. Six genotypes are present around the world. Most Americans have genotype 1 infection, which is the most difficult to treat.
Tests that may be conducted for hepatitis C include:
Hepatitis virus serology - a blood test that detects the presence of antibodies to each of the hepatitis viruses.
ELISA (enzyme-linked immunoassay) - a blood test that detects the hepatitis C antibody.
A liver biopsy - a small sample of liver tissue is removed for microscopic analysis with a local anesthetic and needle to detect chronic inflammation.