Help me understand these numbers

[jearl957]

Help me out.
Is this high? Low?
Should I consider treatment?

HCV RNA QN TMA :    1569680 IU/mL   
HCV TMA:                  6.196 log10 IU/mL

[gnatcatcher]

Welcome, jearl957. The "1569680 IU/mL" means you have a little over one-and-a-half million International Units of HCV (Hepatitis C) per milliliter of blood. The "6.196 log10 IU/mL" is the same number expressed as a logarithm for the convenience of doctors.

You ask whether a little over one-and-a-half million is high: I had over nine million before I was treated and cured, and others on these forums have had even more. On the other hand, your number is high enough that, even if you were infected less than six months ago, it is unlikely that your immune system will be able to cure it without medicine. Today's treatments are easy to take (mine was one pill a day for 12 weeks) and highly effective, and most people experience either no side effects or only very mild ones.

Do you know your genotype (a Hep C subtype indicated by a number, possibly followed by a letter, such as 1a)? That would determine which treatments work best. Are your liver enzymes such as ALT and AST out of the normal range? That would be another indication of liver damage.

Please feel free to ask more questions as you have more test results.

Gnatty

[jearl957]

Thank you so much for the response. My genotype is 1A.

All I know about my liver is that it's a little fatty. Other than that nobody has said anything, and generally it seems positive when I speak to the Dr.

[gnatcatcher]

Have you been seen by a hepatitis specialist such as a gastroenterologist or infectious disease doctor who sees a lot of patients with hepatitis? Regular doctors (internists, family doctors) may not be "up" on the latest tests and treatments.

[Lynn K]

You have hepatitis c an infectious blood borne illness (although hep c in general is not that easy to transmit to others but you should not share personal items that could contain your blood like fingernail clippers, razors, or toothbrushes)

Over time hepatitis c can cause liver damage or other symptoms in some people.

If you want to be free of the hepatitis c virus you will need to be treated. The new meds are well tolerated and for most people with minimal side effects. The treatments are highly effective with cure rates around 98% or better. Treatment could be as simple a 1 pill a day for 8 weeks and you will be cured of hepatitis c.