Hepatitis A Virus
Lab test instructions for Hepatitis A Virus
Diseases
Viral hepatitis by fecal-oral transmission
Organisms
Hepatitis A virus
Test Method
Chemiluminescent Immunoassay (CLIA)
2 assays available:
- Total hepatitis A antibodies (IgG and IgM): Used for the detection of recent or previous exposure or immunity to hepatitis A
- Hepatitis A IgM only: Used for the diagnosis of acute or recent hepatitis A infection.
Availability
- Routine testing
- Available for patients at least 2 years old
- Please contact the Alaska State Virology Laboratory if requesting testing to be added for a previously submitted specimen.
Specimen type
Serum
- Minimum volume required: 0.75mL
- Blood collected in a serum separator tube (SST) is recommended
Specimen collection instructions
- Collect the blood aseptically by venipuncture in SST and centrifuge from red blood cells within 2 hours.
- Store spun SST frozen at <-20°C to stage for shipping. Self-defrosting freezers are not recommended for sample storage.
- Indicate date shipped and date frozen on the Fairbanks Lab Request Form.
Storage and transport
Ship on dry ice or many frozen cold packs.
- Ambient temperature shipping is not recommended per reagent manufacturer guidelines.
- Refrigerated specimens are also not recommended due to manufacturer limitations on completing testing within 7 days (including transit time) if stored at 2-8°C.
- Samples received warm, grossly hemolyzed, highly lipemic or turbid, or collected in other collection devices may be rejected.
Ship to: Fairbanks Public Health Laboratory, ATTN: Clinical Virology
Results
- Hepatitis A Total Antibody: Negative, Positive, Equivocal
- Hepatitis A IgM Antibody: Negative, Reactive, Equivocal
For Hepatitis A Total Antibody for vaccinated individuals or those that have recovered from previous infection, a normal result is positive.
A normal result for HAV IgM is negative.
Interpretation: Clinical Screening and Diagnosis for Hepatitis A
Turnaround time
1-4 days
