title: [Diagnosis of hepatitis C virus infection].
abstract: The current diagnostic tests to demonstrate the HCV infection are classified in serological tests for detectionof antibodies and molecular exams to identify viral particles. The serological screening to detect infection with HCV includes the ELISA exam, of which there are already three generations, each one with a greater sensitivity. Recombinant immunoblot (RIBA) test is used to confirm positive results in ELISA test. RIBA is recommended only in low risk groups, such as the blood banks. Molecular tests can make qualitative (viremia) and quantitative (viral load) determinations of viral RNA. They also identify the HCV type. The polymerase chain reaction technique allows the greatest sensitivity. Qualitative tests are more sensitive than quantitative ones, because they detect very small quantities of viral RNA. There are two kinds of tests that identify the type of HCV: a) screening tests that identify point mutations in HCV genome, and b) confirmatory tests that evaluate the longer segments of the virus.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Hígado, Hospital Universitario de Monterrey, Gonzalitos 235, Norte Col. Mitra Centro, 64460, Monterrey, N.L. linda_uanl@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Linda Elsa
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Muñoz Espinosa
mesh_terms: D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D012698:Serologic Tests
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral
vernacular_title: Diagnóstico de la infección por el virus de la hepatitis C.