title: Detection of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) using a direct (antiglobulin) format and development of a confirmatory assay for anti-HBc.
abstract: A direct (antiglobulin) solid-phase enzyme immunoassay for the detection of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) is described. The assay utilizes recombinant hepatitis B core antigen as the solid-phase 'capture' reagent and a mixture of monoclonal antibodies specific for human IgG and IgM conjugated to horseradish peroxidase as the 'detector' reagent. The direct assay demonstrated excellent sensitivity and specificity when compared with a commercially available competitive enzyme immunoassay. The direct assay format lends itself to a confirmatory assay for anti-HBc by addition of monoclonal anti-HBc to the reaction mixture. Feasibility of the confirmatory assay for anti-HBc was demonstrated using specimens reactive for anti-HBc as documented by both the direct and competitive assays.
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D007201:Indicator Dilution Techniques; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011994:Recombinant Proteins