Assessment of markers of hepatitis C virus infection in a Japanese adult population.
Latent-class analysis was used to evaluate the usefulness of markers of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in characterizing the true, underlying infection in a community-based Japanese population. Antibodies to HCV were detected in 24%, HCV RNA in 22%, and HCV core protein in 19% of stored serum samples from 372 adults. A 2-class model suggested that positive results for any 2 virus markers defined the current HCV infection class, with an estimated prevalence of 22% (95% confidence interval, 18%-26%). The sensitivity for detection of current HCV infection was highest for anti-HCV (97%) and was more moderate for HCV RNA (91%) and HCV core protein (85%). The specificity for each marker was > or =96%. In general, the association between demographic factors and current HCV infection status was strengthened by use of latent-class analysis that combined data for markers of HCV infection, when compared with results of logistic regression analysis for each marker separately.
Arduino
J M
JM
Departments of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Stuver
S O
SO
Spiegelman
D
D
Okayama
A
A
Tabor
E
E
Yu
M W
MW
Kohara
M
M
Tsubouchi
H
H
Mueller
N E
NE
D000372:Agglutination Tests; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014758:Viral Core Proteins