title: The natural history of infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in chimpanzees: comparison of serologic responses measured with first- and second-generation assays and relationship to HCV viremia.
abstract: The sensitivity of first- and second-generation tests for antibody to hepatitis C virus (HCV) and the relationship among the patterns of antibody response and HCV viremia were examined in serial serum samples from 6 chimpanzees experimentally infected with HCV and followed less than or equal to 3 years. HCV infection was transient in 4 chimpanzees and became chronic in 2. All chimpanzees developed antibodies to HCV detectable by second-generation assays, while only 5 of the 6 became positive by first-generation assay. Second-generation were consistently more sensitive than first-generation assays for the early diagnosis of primary HCV infection. The pattern observed with second-generation assays was not influenced by the outcome of HCV infection, since antibodies remained persistently detectable throughout follow-up regardless of whether viremia was transient or persistent. In contrast, the first-generation antibody response was variable: It usually disappeared after loss of viremia, whereas its presence paralleled HCV viremia in chimpanzees with chronic infection.
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis Viruses Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Farci
authors.forename: W T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: London
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Vallari
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Engle
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Purcell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes / Q000737:chemistry; D002679:Pan troglodytes; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014766:Viremia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D012367:RNA, Viral