title: Performance of molecular methods for hepatitis C virus diagnosis: usefulness among chronic cases and during the course of infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Molecular methods are essential to define hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of molecular qualitative and quantitative methods for HCV RNA among chronic patients and individuals during the course of HCV infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Single serum samples were obtained from 82 HCV infected individuals where six of them donated serial serum samples (n = 52) during the course of HCV infection. Qualitative (in-house RT-nested PCR and COBAS AMPLICOR HCV Test v2.0 and TMA) and quantitative (COBAS AMPLICOR HCV Monitor Test v2.0 and bDNA) techniques were employed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TMA presented the highest rate (87.8%) of HCV detection among qualitative tests and it was the most sensitive for HCV RNA detection during the early and late phases of HCV infection. HCV RNA was quantified among 56 samples and significant correlation was observed between the two assays (r 0.92; p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is concluded that both quantitative methods can be used among chronic and acute HCV cases, but TMA was the most efficient for HCV qualitative detection among chronic cases and in the early and late phases of HCV infection.
authors.affiliation: Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patricia Pais
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lampe
authors.forename: Lia Laura
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Lewis-Ximenez
authors.forename: Paulo Sergio Fonseca
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Carlos Augusto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Livia Melo
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Villar
mesh_terms: D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D057089:Pathology, Molecular; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral