Testing Project

Chair: Dr Paul Klapper

The aim of the Testing Project is to increase hepatitis C testing and to ensure best practice testing pathways are adopted throughout Greater Manchester.

This will involve the setting of testing algorithms, and working with the Service Redevelopment Project and the Communication Project to ensure that they are adopted across Greater Manchester.

The strategy has recently established a local dry blood spot testing service to provide an alternative to venous blood collection in testing for hepatitis C for patients with poor venous access. This simple test is similar to the Guthrie test for babies and a local service has been set up at the Manchester Virology Laboratory at Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to facilitate the testing and diagnosis of this patient group.

The dry blood spot tests for hepatitis C antibodies.  If this test is positive, the lab carries out a second test on the sample called the PCR to determine whether a patient has the virus.

If the antibody test comes back negative, it means a patient has not had the virus.  However, if they have put themselves at risk in the three to six months before the test, another test should be carried out as the virus takes some time to show up.

If the PCR test result is positive, this means the patient has a 'chronic infection' and will need to be referred to a hepatologist or gastroenterolgist for further tests and investigation.

Dry blood spot testing kits are available for use in primary care and can be obtained from Dave Ellis, at the Manchester Virology Laboratory on 0161 276 8838 or email dave.ellis@hpa.org.uk

For more information on the Testing project, contact Dr Paul Klapper, Chair of the Testing sub group andrea.reid@cmft.nhs.uk