New Assay Helps Evaluate Effect of Hepatitis C Therapy







NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Apr 30 - The total hepatitis C virus (HCV) core antigen assay appears useful in monitoring the progress of interferon therapy in patients infected with the virus, Italian and US researchers report in the May issue of the Journal of Medical Virology.



Dr. Alessandro R. Zanetti, of the University of Milan, and colleagues note that screening for HCV core antigen has proved effective in reducing the risk of transfusion-associated HCV infection. This approach is particularly useful in evaluating potentially contaminated blood obtained prior to the appearance of anti-HCV antibodies.



A modified version of this process was subsequently developed to detect and quantify total HCV core antigen in anti-HCV reactive specimens.



To evaluate this assay, the researchers employed it to retrospectively monitor the effect of interferon treatment in 117 serum samples obtained from 29 chronically HCV-antibody-positive patients.



"Serum levels of total HCV core antigen," they found, "directly reflect the trends in HCV RNA levels in patients undergoing treatment" and "may serve as an alternative direct marker of viral infection."



The researchers also point out that the assay is reproducible, easy to perform and is compatible with current ELISA systems. Furthermore, they add, "this new tool has potential use in the study of HCV replication in vitro."



J Med Virol 2003;70:27-30.