title: Hepatitis C virus core antigen: analytical performances, correlation with viremia and potential applications of a quantitative, automated immunoassay.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Testing for hepatitis C virus core antigen (HCV Ag) may represent a complementary tool to anti-HCV and HCV-RNA in the diagnosis and monitoring of HCV infection.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the performance characteristics of the automated Abbott ARCHITECT HCV Ag assay.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five sites analyzed over 3000 routine serum samples from populations at different risk, comparing HCV Ag results with anti-HCV screening and supplemental assay results and with HCV-RNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The HCV Ag assay showed a specificity of 100%, a good precision (CV<10%) and excellent dilution linearity (r>0.999). The sensitivity (3 fmol/L) corresponds to 700-1100 IU/mL of HCV-RNA. A non-linear correlation with HCV-RNA was found: r=0.713 vs. Siemens bDNA (523 specimens), r=0.736 vs. Roche Cobas TaqMan (356 specimens) and r=0.870 vs. Abbott Real-Time PCR (273 specimens). HCV Ag quantitation was equally effective on different HCV genoypes (239 for genotype 1/1a/1b/1c, 108 for genotype 2/2a/2c, 86 for genotype 3/3a, 50 for genotype 4/4a/4c/4d). Testing of subjects at high risk for HCV and with potential or actual impairment of the immune system identified 2 cases negative for anti-HCV and positive for HCV Ag on 361 hemodialyzed (0.6%) and 7 cases on 97 (7.2%) among transplant recipients. HCV Ag positivity anticipated anti-HCV seroconversion in all three cases of acute hepatitis C.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HCV Ag may be used as reflex testing on anti-HCV positive individuals to confirm or exclude an active infection, and on subjects with acute hepatitis or belonging to high risk groups.
authors.affiliation: Virology Unit, Section of Microbiology, University of Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Medici
authors.forename: Giuliano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Furlini
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodella
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fuertes
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Monachetti
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calderaro
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.forename: Luigina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Terlenghi
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Olivares
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bagnarelli
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Costantini
authors.forename: Flora
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Conto
authors.forename: Marìa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sainz
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.forename: Nino
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Manca
authors.forename: Maria Paola
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Landini
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dettori
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chezzi
mesh_terms: D001331:Automation / Q000379:methods*; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D014766:Viremia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; C069130:nucleocapsid protein, Hepatitis C virus