A 36-year-old African American male presents to a free clinic with symptoms of anorexia,malaise,vomiting,abdominal pain,and mild jaundice.The patient is a known IV drug abuser.The physician orders liver function tests and an acute hepatitis serum panel.The laboratory reports the following results: anti-HAV IgM = not detected; HBsAg = not detected; anti-HBc IgM = not detected; anti-HBc total = detected; anti-HBs = detected; anti-HCV = detected.This man has:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient has acute hepatitis C. The presence of anti-HCV antibodies indicates active infection, and the symptoms, laboratory values, and history of IV drug use are consistent with acute hepatitis C. The negative results for anti-HAV IgM, HBsAg, and anti-HBc IgM rule out acute hepatitis A and B. The presence of anti-HBs suggests past exposure and immunity to hepatitis B.

A 36-Year-Old African American Male Presents to a Free Clinic