Detection of HCV core antigen in human serum and plasma with an automated chemiluminescent immunoassay.
Transfusion
; 42(3): 349-56, 2002 Mar.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-11961241
BACKGROUND: Currently, the detection of HCV infection in blood donors relies on the ability of immunoassays to detect circulating HCV antibodies. However, a significant delay exists between the time of infection and the development of antibodies. This delay (window period) can last up to 70 days. The introduction of NAT for the detection of HCV RNA has reduced this window period dramatically. However, NAT is labor intensive, prone to contamination, and expensive as compared with standard serologic tests. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: An automated, microparticle-based chemiluminescent assay for the detection of HCV core antigen in human serum and plasma was developed. The specificity and sensitivity of this prototype assay were evaluated by testing a population of normal blood donors and commercially available seroconversion panels. RESULTS: The HCV core antigen assay exhibited a 99.9-percent specificity by detecting a single repeatably reactive sample out of 1004 normal donors tested. Assay sensitivity was determined by comparing the HCV core antigen detection rate with the antibody seroconversion profile and the rate of HCV RNA detection. Among 15 seroconversion panels examined, core antigen was detected in 69 of 70 antibody-negative and/or RNA-positive samples for a sensitivity relative to NAT of 98.6 percent. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that the automated, microparticle-based chemiluminescent HCV core antigen assay can reduce the window period for detection of potentially infected blood donors by 32.7 days, and it represents a viable alternative to HCV RNA testing.
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Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Autoanálisis
/
Donantes de Sangre
/
Inmunoensayo
/
Antígenos de la Hepatitis C
/
Mediciones Luminiscentes
Tipo de estudio:
Diagnostic_studies
Límite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Transfusion
Año:
2002
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Estados Unidos
Pais de publicación:
Estados Unidos