The symptoms of hepatitis will usually lead a health care professional to suspect the disease early on. Blood tests can be done to confirm hepatitis and its severity. Furthermore, these tests can even give some clues as to whether the cause is viral.
The following specific blood tests are required to diagnose hepatitis A:
- Hepatitis A IgM antibody – if positive indicates current or recent infection, and/or
- Hepatitis A IgG antibody – in the absence of hepatitis A IgM antibody, indicates past infection with Hepatitis A and immunity.
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Revised and reviewed by Dr Karin Richter, MMed Path (Medical Virology), FC Path(SA) Viro, Dip HIV Man (SA), Dip Obst (SA), MBChB , Clinical Virologist, Senior Lecturer, Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Faculty of Health Sciences, and Consultant Pathologist, Tshwane Academic Division, National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) February 2015.