title: [Evaluation on the use of detection of hepatitis C core antigen for screening blood donor].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the value of detection of hepatitis C virus core antigen (HCV-cAg) for screening blood donor by using the internal reagent enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and anti-HCV antibody.
  
  
  METHODS
  The first and repeat assays were performed for detection of serum anti-HCV and HCV-cAg ELISA in 3972 donor's serum specimens from August to October of 2004. Twenty-five donors positive for anti-HCV were tested with HCV-cAg EIA kits and the results were compared with the results of HCV RNA determination with RT-PCR method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 3972 donor's serum samples, only 1 serum specimen was positive for HCV RNA identification among 10 specimens which were positive for anti-HCV in first assays, and only 1 serum specimens was positive for HCV RNA identification among 12 specimens positive for anti-HCV in repeat assays, only 2 serum specimens were positive HCV RNA identification in 3 specimens which were positive for HCV-cAg assays.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The sensitivity of HCV-cAg ELISA is similar to HCV RT-PCR, but it is much cheaper. Therefore, HCV-cAg ELISA and anti-HCV may be used together to screen blood donor.
authors.affiliation: Central Blood Station of Jinhua, Jinhua, Zhejiang 321000, China.
authors.forename: Fu-cheng
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhi-yong
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D001782:Blood Donors; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014758:Viral Core Proteins