What is an HCV RNA (PCR) test for hep C?

If you have been reading about hepatitis C testing, you have probably seen a few different names: the HCV RNA test, the hep C PCR test, the viral detection test. These are all names for the same blood test. It looks for the hepatitis C virus, and it answers one clear question: do you have hep C right now?

This page explains what the HCV RNA (PCR) test is, what it can tell you, how it is done, and what your result means.

The short answer

An antibody test shows whether you have ever been exposed to hep C. The HCV RNA (PCR) test shows whether the virus is in your blood now. It is the test that confirms a current infection. The same test, taken 12 weeks after treatment ends, is what confirms you are cured.

Hep C antibody test vs HCV RNA (PCR) test

Hepatitis C testing usually happens in two steps, using two different tests.

Antibody test
The first is the antibody test. Antibodies are part of the body’s immune response. A hep C antibody test shows whether you have ever been exposed to the virus. If it is positive, it means you have had hep C at some point. It does not tell you if you have hep C now.

PCR test
The second is the PCR test, also called the HCV RNA test. This one looks for the virus itself, not the body’s response to it. It tells you whether you have hep C now.

Both tests are needed because of how the body handles the virus. About 1 in 4 people clear hep C on their own within the first six months, without treatment. But the antibodies stay in the blood for life. That means someone who cleared the virus or has been cured of it, will still return a positive antibody test, even though they no longer have hep C. The PCR test is what can tell you if it is a past infection or a current one.

Test	What it tells you
Antibody test	Whether you have ever had hep C. It stays positive for life, even if the virus is gone, so it cannot tell you if you have hep C now.
PCR/RNA test	Whether you have hep C right now. It looks for the virus itself, so it confirms if you have a current infection. This same test will be used after you have hep C treatment, to show if you are cured.

“A positive hep C antibody test tells you that you’ve been exposed to the virus. A PCR test tells you whether the virus is still there and whether you need treatment.“
Samantha, Program Manager: Hep C Programs, Hepatitis NSW

What “PCR” and “RNA” actually mean

PCR stands for polymerase chain reaction. It is a laboratory method that finds tiny amounts of genetic material in a blood sample and copies them many times over, until there is enough to detect. It is widely used in medicine; the same basic method was behind many COVID-19 tests.

RNA is the genetic material of the hepatitis C virus. So an HCV RNA test is looking for the virus’s genetic material in your blood, and PCR is the method used to find it. That is why the two names get used interchangeably. They describe the same test from two angles: what it looks for (RNA) and how it looks for it (PCR).

What an HCV RNA test can tell you

A PCR test can do up to three jobs, though not all are needed every time.

Detecting the virus

The main job: confirming whether hep C is in your blood right now. This is what makes it the test that diagnoses whether you have hep C now..

Measuring your viral load

The test can estimate how much virus is in your blood. This is sometimes checked before treatment.

Identifying the genotype (strain)

There are several strains of hep C. Working out the strain used to be a routine step before treatment. It is now usually not needed in Australia, because the current treatments work across all strains (or, is “pan-genotypic”), and the national prescribing rules no longer require a genotype test before starting most treatments.

For many people today, the PCR test is only used to confirm the virus is there, and then again later to confirm it is gone.

How the HCV RNA (PCR) test is done

A PCR test is an ordinary blood test. In most cases you will go to a pathology collection centre, where a small blood sample is taken from your arm. Some GP clinics, medical centres and Aboriginal Medical Services can also do the test for you. Results usually take a week or two, and your doctor or nurse can tell you what to expect.

A couple of things can make the process simpler.

Reflex testing

If your doctor requests it ahead of time, and your antibody test comes back positive, the laboratory can run the PCR test straight away on the same blood sample. This means you don’t need to come back for a second appointment to find out if the infection is current.

Finger-prick and point-of-care options

A dried blood spot (DBS) test uses only a few drops of blood from a finger-prick instead of a blood draw from the arm. In NSW it can be done at home with a free kit posted to you. Some services also offer point-of-care RNA tests that can give a result in about an hour.

Understanding your HCV RNA test result

A PCR result is usually reported in plain terms.

What a “detected” result means

“Detected” (or positive) means hep C is present in your blood now. Hep C is treatable, and the current treatments cure more than 95% of people.

What a “not detected” result means

“Not detected” (or negative) means there is no current hep C infection.

The virus is detectable on a PCR test about two weeks after exposure. If you are tested very soon after a possible exposure and the result is negative, your doctor may recommend a repeat test at around 12 weeks, and sometimes again at six months, to be sure.

After treatment: confirming a hep C cure

The PCR test also has a role after treatment. A PCR test taken about 12 weeks after finishing treatment checks whether the virus is gone. A “not detected” result at that point means the treatment has worked and you are cured.

Antibodies stay in your blood after the virus has gone, so an antibody test will keep showing positive. That is why the PCR test, not the antibody test, is the one used to confirm a cure and to check for any future infection. Hep C is possible to get again after being cured, so anyone with ongoing risk should get tested again from time to time. You can read more about hep C treatment and what it involves.

Next steps: how to get a hep C test

You can ask for a hep C test at any time. You do not need symptoms and you do not need a specific reason.

Talk to your GP. You can simply say: “I’d like to be tested for hepatitis C.”
Call the Hepatitis Infoline on 1800 803 990. The team can answer questions, talk things through, or help you find a testing service near you.
Read more. The hep C testing page and the PCR tests page explain the testing process in more detail.
Find a service. The local service directory lists clinics in NSW that can help with testing and treatment.

This information is general in nature and is not a substitute for medical advice. If you have questions about your health, talk to your doctor or call the Hepatitis NSW Infoline on 1800 803 990.

Sources: Hepatitis NSW hep C testing and PCR/antibody factsheets; Australian recommendations for the management of hepatitis C virus infection: a consensus statement (hepcguidelines.org.au); STI Guidelines Australia; Australian Prescriber

Reviewed by: Rhea Shortus, Project Officer, Hepatitis NSW | Last reviewed: September 2026