To wonder why this would be requested by doctors

[Tootsey11]

Can anyone give advice, Dp has received a request from haematology in local hospital for bloods. They want to test his immunity to hepatitis c and b and hiv. He has said he has no idea why.

Has anyone ever had to get their immunity checked for these, what reason was it done.

My mind is doing overtime.

What’s his job?

What are his symptoms? Has he been diagnosed with anything?

It's routine before some treatments, could that be why?

Has he recently had his blood taken/surgery/etc? Someone may have had a needle stick injury or similar.

Has he had any medical procedures/dentist visits recently? Could a member of staff of needlesticked themselves? I think our occupational health ask for this if the patient is willing, obviously should be informed and discussed properly, as its much faster then the person who stuck themselves waiting and seeing if they become infected with anything.

I had these tests after my second bout of shingles in 6 months. All negative but they checked because they were worried about my low immune response

Has he had any liver results come back abnormal? I had abnormal liver tests and they tested for Hep B and C as standard. Usually if you haven’t been tested for HIV recently (I actually work in HIV so I had before I got married to Dh so reasonably sure I was HIV negative), they often throw HIV in too as it’s often tested together.

Hep B & C might also be tested if he’s experienced an jaundice, abdominal pain, enlarged liver. Are they testing him for anything else? Usually it would be part of a larger set of blood tests for liver/kidney function, blood count, deficiencies, etc.

They wont be testing for immunity - they will be testing to see if he has those diseases

Red blood count, that's it. He is a lorry driver.

No one has stuck him with a needle as far as I'm aware.

He is not due or starting treatment for anything else, has not had any treatment either.

On the letter it says clearly, immunity testing for then lists the 3 things.

And no hospital would just randomly request he be tested for diseases very commonly acquired during drug misuse or sex - what has he been seeing the dr for?

HIV immunity testing is testing for the presence of antibodies post exposure

As far as I know, these bloods ar requested if a previous blood test has shown up abnormal liver results, or if a patient is displaying symptoms linked to abnormal liver function.

Why did he go to the doctors?

Oh right. Is it a randomly received letter or in relation to an actual existing dialogue he’s having with the doctor?

A random bit of chest pain 4 months ago.

Commonly checked before immunosuppressing somebody (either to treat autoimmune disease, or eg pre-transplantation). We also check it if you are going to be having treatments like haemodialysis, where there is a higher than average risk of your blood splashing about. And then obviously we check when patients present with diseases that could potentially be related to a blood borne virus.

They haven’t just called your husband in off the street for these tests. He must be having investigations or treatment for something else, and the BBV screen is related to this.

Has he managed to stab himself on a dirty needle somewhere on his travels? What does he say is going on?

That’s quite odd but did he get a red blood count done recently? That wouldn’t be usual it’s usually and FBC which includes loads more. It might be related to that or if he’s had blood test recently a practitioner might have had a sharps injury following treating him.

He needs to ask why he has been called in, if it’s because a clinician has had a sharps injury I would raise merry hell they just sent a letter with no explanation, that is such bad practice. Hope you get some answers soon

The hospital wouldn't just write to him out of the blue. Who has referred him or requested the tests& why?

I just find it strange that they would test for these things before something like an ecg. All bloods were normal, except slightly high red blood count. Liver test normal. So they decide hepatitis or hiv.

Did he openly show you this letter or did you find it/open it? Certainly any time I've had blood testing I've been told what they are testing for and why

Our Gp referred him to haematology because he had slightly high red blood count. Haematology have requested immunity tests for these 3 things.

He isn't getting treated or has had any. He went in last dec with a bit of chest pain which cleared up.

He gave me the letter at the weekend, we live separately. It states clearly , written by hand 'immunity testing for hepatitis b, c and hiv'.

I work in pathology. These tests are usually requested if:
liver function tests are abnormal,
if you’re about to be prescribed immunosuppressants,
as an antenatal screen,
you are about to have chemotherapy,
you are about to have surgery,
you have been diagnosed with one blood borne virus and then they test you for the rest of them,
Or if someone has had a needle stick injury with your blood/bodily fluid.

@Likeli would high red bloods mean possible abnormal liver function?