Improved serodiagnosis of non-A, non-B hepatitis by an assay detecting antibody to hepatitis C virus core antigen

Hepatology. 1992 Mar;15(3):391-4. doi: 10.1002/hep.1840150306.

Abstract

We examined sequential serum samples from 12 patients with well-characterized posttransfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis who had an acute, resolving self-limited type of clinical course for the presence of antibody to the hepatitis C virus nucleocapsid (core) protein (p22) expressed by a recombinant baculovirus. These sera were simultaneously examined for antibody to the hepatitis C virus nonstructural protein (C100-3) that is presently used for blood screening worldwide. In three patients, both anti-p22 and anti-C100-3 antibodies were detected, but anti-p22 was detected much earlier. In four patients, only anti-p22 was detected. Two other patients were considered to be hepatitis C virus carriers who had been already infected with hepatitis C virus. In one patient, only anti-C100-3 was detected, and it was transient. In two patients, neither antibody was detected. Anti-p22 was detected in at least one of eight samples of transfused blood. Of the nine samples of donated blood that were positive for anti-p22, only four were positive for anti-C100-3. This new assay detecting the antibody to the p22 protein is thus useful for the serodiagnosis of non-A, non-B hepatitis in the acute phase and for blood screening.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, Viral / immunology*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Hepacivirus
  • Hepatitis Antibodies / analysis*
  • Hepatitis C / diagnosis*
  • Hepatitis C / etiology
  • Hepatitis C Antibodies
  • Hepatitis C Antigens
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Radioimmunoassay
  • Serologic Tests*
  • Transfusion Reaction
  • Viral Core Proteins / immunology*
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins*
  • Viral Proteins / immunology*

Substances

  • Antigens, Viral
  • C100 protein, hepatitis C virus
  • Hepatitis Antibodies
  • Hepatitis C Antibodies
  • Hepatitis C Antigens
  • Viral Core Proteins
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins
  • Viral Proteins
  • anti-C100-3
  • core protein p22, Hepatitis C virus
  • nucleocapsid protein, Hepatitis C virus