What does Below limit of quantitation mean?

[strongtower]

Hi Everyone,

I just got my latest lab results and my viral load shows <15. What does that mean? That it is below 15?

Here's a screenshot of my test results.



TIA

[gnatcatcher]

It means that a very small amount (less than 15 international units per milliliter of blood) of hep C virus was detected in your blood sample, but the test is incapable of counting an actual number if it is less than 15, so all it can tell you is that you are still positive for hep C but you have very little. Viral load tests also state their conclusions as a logarithm (<1.176 in this case) for the convenience of doctors.

"Less than 15" is much lower than before you started treatment, so your situation is much improved. The test that determines if you are rid of hep C is the one twelve weeks after the end of treatment, so it does not matter if virus is still detected earlier than that.

[strongtower]

Thank you gnatcatcher!