First Viral Load Test for Hepatitis B Approved

Hepatitis B patients now have one more diagnostic test available for their healthcare. Last week, the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved a test that can determine someone's hepatitis B viral load. The test, COBAS TaqMan HBV Test manufactured by Roche, uses real-time PCR technology to detect the virus' genetic material in the blood.

Why is this a good thing? Because the ability to determine a patient's viral load is so important in effective treatment. This test gives doctors useful information to let them know how aggressively they should treat the hepatitis B virus and if treatment is working. This gives patients with hepatitis B the same testing standard used with other viral diseases such as hepatitis C and HIV: the ability to find out how much virus is in the person's blood. To learn more about hepatitis B, read about the virus and infection. To learn more about this new nucleic acid test, read the FDA press release.