Evaluation of sera with a low signal to cut-off ratio using two chemiluminescent assays for detecting Hepatitis C Virus, and their correlation with the detection of Viral RNA

• Published in: Enfermedades infecciosas y microbiologia clinica Vol. 36; no. 4; pp. 222 - 224
• Main Authors: López-Fabal, M ª Fátima, Pérez-Rivilla, Alfredo, Gómez-Garcés, José Luis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Spanish
• Published: Spain 01.04.2018
• Subjects: Correlation of Data; Hepacivirus - genetics; Hepacivirus - immunology; Hepacivirus - isolation & purification; Hepatitis C Antibodies - blood; Humans; Luminescent Measurements - methods; RNA, Viral - analysis; S/CO ratio; Chemiluminescence; Quimioluminiscencia; Índice S/CO; Hepatitis C
• ISSN: 1578-1852; 2529-993X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eimc.2016.12.014

All commercial assays used to measure the presence of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies set cut-off points to categorise the results, but the problem of false positive results in screening hepatitis C sera is well known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results obtained by two chemiluminescent assays in selected sera, and compare these results with the detection of viral RNA in the specimens studied. Two hundred reactive sera (positive) were selected, although with a low signal to cut-off ratio (S/CO), were selected, using two chemiluminescent assays and were then subjected to genome amplification. Viral RNA could be only be detected in 8 (4%) of the selected specimens. Taking these results into account, we believe that the design of the current chemiluminescent assays do not provide sufficient specificity when they are used as the only tests for the diagnosis of hepatitis C.