HCV RNA and antibody to HCV core protein in Japanese patients with chronic liver disease.
We evaluated the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA and antibody (anti-HCVcore) to the putative HCV core protein in Japanese patients with chronic liver disease. Sera were screened by solid-phase enzyme immunoassay with a recombinant HCV core protein and by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test which directly detects the HCV genome. Anti-HCV core was detected with high titers in 95% (69/73) of chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis, and 94% (65/69) of anti-HCVcore-positive patients had the genome. Anti-HCVcore was also found with lower titers in 24% (10/41) of chronic hepatitis B virus carriers, and three of them had the genome. Only one (3%) of the 35 patients negative for anti-HCVcore tested positive to RT-PCR. These findings indicate the overwhelming prevalence of HCV infection in Japanese patients with chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis and a close relationship between the presence of anti-HCVcore and chronic hepatitis C in this population.
Yuki
N
N
First Department of Medicine, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
Hayashi
N
N
Hagiwara
H
H
Takehara
T
T
Kasahara
A
A
Fusamoto
H
H
Manabe
S
S
Takamizawa
A
A
Kamada
T
T
Okayama
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014758:Viral Core Proteins