title: Detection and quantitation of hepatitis C virus RNA in feces of chronically infected individuals.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA was detected and quantified in human fecal specimens with the Roche COBAS AMPLICOR system adapted by us for fecal specimens. HCV RNA could be detected in the feces of four of six (67%) patients chronically infected with HCV, with loads up to about 2.8 x 10(5) copies/ml of feces. The same HCV genotypes were observed in feces and plasma as determined by direct sequencing of the 5' untranslated region.
authors.affiliation: Academic Medical Center, Department of Medical Microbiology, Laboratory of Clinical Virology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. m.beld@amc.uva.nl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beld
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sentjens
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rebers
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weel
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wertheim-van Dillen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sol
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boom
mesh_terms: D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic