Hepatitis C virus RNA levels determined by branched DNA probe assay correlated with levels assessed using competitive PCR.
OBJECTIVE
To search for comparative differences, levels of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA were examined by branched DNA (bDNA) probe assay and by competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR).


METHODS
The study population included 234 patients (chronic hepatitis 146, cirrhosis 36, hepatocellular carcinoma 52), all of whom were positive for HCV RNA, as determined by PCR. We quantified HCV RNA levels of all serum samples by both bDNA probe and competitive PCR.


RESULTS
HCV RNA was detected in serum samples by bDNA assay in 142 (60.7%) of the 234 patients; this rate was significantly higher in 106 (73.6%) of the 144 patients in genotype II than in 20 (41.7%) of 48 of genotype III and in 16 (38.1%) of 42 of genotype IV (p < 0.001, respectively). The median HCV RNA levels by bDNA assay (x 10(6) eq/ml) were 0.1, 0.1, 0.4, 1.4, and 5.3 among patients with HCV RNA levels < 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 respectively, by competitive PCR (logarithmic transformation copy numbers/50 microliters). A significant correlation was found between HCV RNA levels by bDNA and competitive PCR (r = 0.5747, p < 0.001). There was a correlation among patients of genotype II and genotype III but not genotype IV.


CONCLUSIONS
We recommend bDNA assay for use in clinical practice because the procedure is not difficult and is less contamination-prone. The HCV RNA levels determined using this assay correlated with those examined by competitive PCR.
Hayashi
J
J
Department of General Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.
Yoshimura
E
E
Kishihara
Y
Y
Yamaji
K
K
Etoh
Y
Y
Ikematsu
H
H
Kashiwagi
S
S
D001483:Base Sequence; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics; D015342:DNA Probes; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000235:genetics; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D019105:Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique
D015342:DNA Probes; D012367:RNA, Viral