title: Hepatitis C testing. Comparison of Ortho's EIA and RIBA II tests in 1,182 patients undergoing primary liver transplantation.
abstract: Plasma samples from 1,182 patients undergoing primary liver transplantation were tested for anti-hepatitis C (HCV) virus by two methods: Ortho HCV ELISA Test System (EIA) and Chiron RIBA HCV Test System (RIBA II). The EIA results, 0 or +, were recorded first, followed by RIBA results, N = negative, P = positive, or I = indeterminate. Concordant results--0N, + P, + I--were found in 1,076 (91%), and discordant results were found in 106 (9%). The EIA optical density did not relate to concordant or discordant results. Band patterns were described by stating the band position (1, 2, 3, or 4) and inserting a dash (-) if no band was visualized. Most + P samples fell into two patterns: 47% showed all four bands, pattern 1234, and 15% showed the two-band pattern, 34. When the EIA was negative, 0P, the opposite was seen: 8% showed the 1234 pattern and 81% showed the 34 pattern. There were 226 samples that formed bands (+ P, 149; 0P, 31; + I, 15; 0I, 31). The frequency of bands was as follows: 4, 32%; 3, 31%; 2, 19%; and 1, 18%. Band 2 and the EIA test detected antibodies to the same c100-3 fragment and showed 74% concordance. No explanation is apparent for the lower concordance rate here than that between the EIA test and bands 3 = 96% or 4 = 88%. The EIA and RIBA II tests, together with positive liver function tests and abnormal tissue pathologic findings, provide a basis for the diagnosis of HCV.
authors.affiliation: Central Blood Bank, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rochlani
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Ramsey
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Bontempo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bowman
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: van Thiel
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Starzl
mesh_terms: D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000379:methods; D016031:Liver Transplantation
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies