Use of a commercial PCR kit for detection of hepatitis C virus

To evaluate the usefulness of a recently developed standardised reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kit for detection of hepatitis C virus RNA (Amplicor HCV Test, Roche Molecular Systems), a total of 322 serum samples were examined and compared to an in-house nested PCR. Seventy-nine samples were found positive and 237 samples negative by both methods. Five sera were reactive by the commercial test only, and one was reactive by the nested PCR only. It was concluded that the commercial HCV test had comparable sensitivity and specificity to the in-house nested PCR. However, the commercial HCV test was more rapid and easier to perform than nested PCR and is thus more appropriate for use in a diagnostic microbiology laboratory.