Virology USMLE Step 1 Practice Question
A 32-year-old woman presents with fever, jaundice, and right upper quadrant pain for 5 days. She has a history of intravenous drug use. Laboratory studies show elevated transaminases and anti-HCV antibodies are positive. A viral load test is ordered to confirm active infection. Which of the following best explains why anti-HCV antibodies alone are insufficient to diagnose current HCV infection?
Answer choices
- AHCV does not generate an antibody response in immunocompromised patients
- BHCV antibodies are only present during the acute phase of infection
- CAnti-HCV testing has a false-positive rate exceeding 60%
- DAnti-HCV antibodies persist indefinitely even after viral clearanceCorrect answer
- EAnti-HCV antibodies cross-react with hepatitis B surface antigen
- FAnti-HCV antibodies develop too late in infection to be useful for early diagnosis
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