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[Diagnosis of hepatitis C virus infection]
1Unidad de Hígado, Hospital Universitario de Monterrey, Gonzalitos 235, Norte Col. Mitra Centro, 64460, Monterrey, N.L. linda_uanl@hotmail.com
Insights
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is diagnosed using serological tests detecting antibodies and molecular tests identifying viral RNA. Newer generations of ELISA and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) offer increased sensitivity for accurate HCV diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Diagnostic Medicine
Context:
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection diagnosis relies on detecting viral markers.
- Current methods include serological tests for antibodies and molecular assays for viral RNA.
Purpose:
- To outline the diagnostic approaches for HCV infection.
- To describe the principles and applications of serological and molecular diagnostic tests for HCV.
Summary:
- Serological screening uses Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) with increasing sensitivity across generations, confirmed by Recombinant Immunoblot (RIBA) test, primarily for low-risk groups.
- Molecular tests, including qualitative and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), detect viral RNA for viremia and viral load, with qualitative tests offering higher sensitivity.
- HCV genotyping employs screening tests for point mutations and confirmatory tests analyzing longer viral genome segments.
Impact:
- Provides a comprehensive overview of HCV diagnostic strategies.
- Highlights the advancements in sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic tools for HCV.
- Informs clinicians and researchers about the available methods for accurate HCV detection and typing.
Abstract:
The current diagnostic tests to demonstrate the HCV infection are classified in serological tests for detectionof antibodies and molecular exams to identify viral particles. The serological screening to detect infection with HCV includes the ELISA exam, of which there are already three generations, each one with a greater sensitivity. Recombinant immunoblot (RIBA) test is used to confirm positive results in ELISA test. RIBA is recommended only in low risk groups, such as the blood banks. Molecular tests can make qualitative (viremia) and quantitative (viral load) determinations of viral RNA. They also identify the HCV type. The polymerase chain reaction technique allows the greatest sensitivity. Qualitative tests are more sensitive than quantitative ones, because they detect very small quantities of viral RNA. There are two kinds of tests that identify the type of HCV: a) screening tests that identify point mutations in HCV genome, and b) confirmatory tests that evaluate the longer segments of the virus.