Hepatitis C. . . Test for live virus???

[Bob Benson]

I am a 46 year old male who is  Hepatitis C antibody positive. . . I have
never had any  symptoms  of liver disease except for some enzymes that are
occasionally slightly elevated. . . @120% of upper limit of normal range. . 
My physician states that there is no way to tell if there is live virus in
my body and if so if there is enough to indicate whether or not I would be
contagious to my female sex partner. . .we are practicing safe sex. . . we
would prefer the intimacy of "natural" monogamous sexual relationships but I
would not dream of  exposing her to HCV. . . Since this infection can cause
death,  chronic liver disease, cirosis , or liver cancer. . .
My physician says since I have always been asymptomatic that I may very well
be free of the virus or have a very weak strain of the virus....

Some of the articles I read seem to indicate that there are tests for the
presents of live Hepatitis C Virus... And test for determining which strain
of virus I was exposed to when I got this infection.. . 

If you can be of any help thank you.

Bob Benson
Bob