Hepatitis B and C: The Screening Test Most Adults Have Never Done

Chronic hepatitis B and C usually cause no symptoms until the liver is already damaged. Screening is one blood test each — and hepatitis C is now curable with a few weeks of tablets.

Who Should Get Tested

• Anyone who has never been screened, at least once in adult life
• Anyone who received a blood transfusion, surgery or dialysis, particularly before the 2000s
• Household members and partners of a known positive person
• People with tattoos, piercings or shared razors from unregulated setups
• Anyone with raised SGPT/SGOT on a routine LFT
• Pregnant women — routine, and it protects the baby
• Healthcare workers

The Tests

• HBsAg — screens for hepatitis B infection
• Anti-HCV — screens for hepatitis C exposure; a positive needs an HCV RNA PCR to confirm active infection
• LFT — SGPT, SGOT, bilirubin, albumin for liver status
• Anti-HBs — tells you whether your hepatitis B vaccination worked

If You Test Positive

It is not an emergency, and it is not a verdict. See a gastroenterologist or physician. Hepatitis B is controlled with monitoring and, when needed, antivirals. Hepatitis C is cured in the large majority of cases with 8–12 weeks of oral treatment.

Prevention

Hepatitis B has a safe, effective vaccine — three doses, and worth completing if you never did. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C; avoid shared needles, unsterile piercing and unscreened blood.

Book a hepatitis screening or add it to a full body checkup with home sample collection in Gurugram.