Evaluation of a supplemental assay for the diagnosis of hepatitis C virus infections.
OBJECTIVE
A supplemental test was evaluated for hepatitis C virus (HCV).


METHODS
One hundred forty-six sera that were inconclusive or discrepant in two screening tests for HCV infection were evaluated using a supplemental test, MATRIX-HCV2 (Abbott Laboratories, Chicago, IL, USA). Results of the supplemental test were compared to the detection of HCV RNA by a nested polymerase chain reaction after a step of reverse transcription (RT-PCR).


RESULTS
Thirty-nine RNA-containing sera (positive with RT-PCR) of 40 (97%) reacted with at least one antigen in the supplemental test. Reactivity with one to three antigens also was observed with 77 PCR-negative sera (66%). Twenty-nine sera were found negative with both techniques.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite clear results and good sensitivity, the MATRIX-HCV2 assay was poorly predictive of viremia in patients with indeterminate results in initial screening assays.
Rihn
B
B
Institut National de Recherche et de Sécurité, Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Hôpital de Brabois, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy Cédex, France. rihn@inrs.fr
Hussenet
F
F
Detry
M B
MB
Catelle
A
A
Faou
A L
AL
D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008403:Mass Screening; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic