title: Rapid detection of hepatitis C virus RNA by a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay.
abstract: The usefulness of reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) for the rapid diagnosis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA was evaluated. This assay showed higher sensitivities than that of nested RT-PCR, with a detection limit of 600 IU mL(-1) , and no cross-reactivity was observed with hepatitis A virus, hepatitis B virus and hepatitis E virus. Furthermore, 106 stored sera from recently diagnosed cases were retrospectively investigated with real-time RT-PCR, the nested RT-PCR, in parallel with this new assay. The general detection rates of HCV RT-LAMP, real-time PCR and the nested RT-PCR for 106 stored sera samples were 95%, 96% and 88%, respectively. This study provides the first data on the usefulness of HCV RT-LAMP in the diagnosis of HCV RNA, especially in the early clinical diagnosis of acute HCV infection.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
authors.forename: Qin-qin
authors.initials: QQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jin-song
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Hao-tai
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Li-qin
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yao-zhong
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Sheng-he
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Xin-cheng
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yin-hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yong-sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral