Comparison of Serological and Nucleic Acid Based Assays Used to Diagnose Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Infection in Acute and Chronic Liver Diseases

Overview

Journal Int J Health Sci (Qassim)

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2011 Apr 9

PMID 21475446

Citations 1

Authors

M Irshad

I Dhar

Khushboo

Shiwani Singh

S Kapoor

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: This study reports a comparative diagnostic potential of three different assay systems used to detect HCV infection in acute and chronic liver diseases.

Methods: A total number of 364 patients with various types of liver diseases were analyzed for hepatitis C virus (HCV) core antigen using Enzyme Immuno Assay (EIA), HCV-RNA by RT-PCR and anti-HCV antibodies by third generation EIA system. Simultaneously these patients were also tested for markers of other hepatitis viruses, notably, hepatitis A, B, C, D and E. In some cases, even transfusion transmitted virus (TTV) was tested using TTV-DNA as the marker of TTV infection.

Results: Analysis of results demonstrated the presence of hepatitis B, C and E in different proportions of patients belonging to these liver diseases. Hepatitis A and D infections could not be detected in these cases TTV infection was prevalent in different liver diseases in different proportions. Though none of control sera demonstrated hepatitis A-E infection, however, TTV infection was noted in control group also. When we analysed all the sera for HCV infection using these different assay systems, we found HCV core, HCV-RNA and anti-HCV antibodies in 18.3%, 18.3% and 5.83% cases of acute viral hepatitis (AVH), 13.3 %, 13.3% and 46.6% cases of chronic viral hepatitis (CVH), 23.8%, 23.8% and 23.8% cases with cirrhosis of liver and 20%, 17.5% and 10% cases respectively, of fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) patients. Whereas HCV core and HCV-RNA assays were comparable and predominantly positive in acute cases (AVH and FHF), anti-HCV antibodies were detected in high proportions in chronic liver diseases. Cirrhosis patients showed all the markers in equal proportions. This pattern of HCV markers remains unaffected by co-infection of HCV with other hepatitis viral infections.

Conclusion: In conclusion, where HCV core and HCV-RNA are best diagnostic markers in acute liver diseases, anti-HCV diagnoses high proportion of HCV cases in chronic liver diseases. This diagnostic pattern is not changed on co-infection of HCV with other viral infections.

Citing Articles

Detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among health care providers in an Egyptian university hospital: different diagnostic modalities.

El-Sokkary R, Tash R, Meawed T, El Seifi O, Mortada E Infect Drug Resist. 2017; 10:357-364.

PMID: 29270026 PMC: 5655154. DOI: 10.2147/IDR.S145844.

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