Tools for the diagnosis of hepatitis C virus infection and hepatic fibrosis staging.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection represents a major public health issue. Hepatitis C can be cured by therapy, but many infected individuals are unaware of their status. Effective HCV screening, fast diagnosis and characterization, and hepatic fibrosis staging are highly relevant for controlling transmission, treating infected patients and, consequently, avoiding end-stage liver disease. Exposure to HCV can be determined with high sensitivity and specificity with currently available third generation serology assays. Additionally, the use of point-of-care tests can increase HCV screening opportunities. However, active HCV infection must be confirmed by direct diagnosis methods. Additionally, HCV genotyping is required prior to starting any treatment. Increasingly, high-volume clinical laboratories use different types of automated platforms, which have simplified sample processing, reduced hands-on-time, minimized contamination risks and human error and ensured full traceability of results. Significant advances have also been made in the field of fibrosis stage assessment with the development of non-invasive methods, such as imaging techniques and serum-based tests. However, no single test is currently available that is able to completely replace liver biopsy. This review focuses on approved commercial tools used to diagnose HCV infection and the recommended hepatic fibrosis staging tests.
Verónica Saludes, Victoria González, Lurdes Matas, Vicente Ausina, Elisa Martró, Microbiology Service, Fundació Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), 08916 Badalona, Spain.
Verónica
V
Saludes
Verónica Saludes, Victoria González, Lurdes Matas, Vicente Ausina, Elisa Martró, Microbiology Service, Fundació Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), 08916 Badalona, Spain.
Victoria
V
González
Verónica Saludes, Victoria González, Lurdes Matas, Vicente Ausina, Elisa Martró, Microbiology Service, Fundació Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), 08916 Badalona, Spain.
Ramon
R
Planas
Verónica Saludes, Victoria González, Lurdes Matas, Vicente Ausina, Elisa Martró, Microbiology Service, Fundació Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), 08916 Badalona, Spain.
Lurdes
L
Matas
Verónica Saludes, Victoria González, Lurdes Matas, Vicente Ausina, Elisa Martró, Microbiology Service, Fundació Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), 08916 Badalona, Spain.
Vicente
V
Ausina
Verónica Saludes, Victoria González, Lurdes Matas, Vicente Ausina, Elisa Martró, Microbiology Service, Fundació Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), 08916 Badalona, Spain.
Elisa
E
Martró
D001706:Biopsy; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods; D005355:Fibrosis; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D012367:RNA, Viral
Diagnosis; Hepatic fibrosis staging; Hepatitis C virus; Hepatitis C virus genotyping; Hepatitis C virus-RNA quantification; Real-time polymerase chain reaction; Serology