Indeterminate third-generation recombinant immunoblot assay in hepatitis C virus infection. Group d'Etudes Moléculaires des Hépatites (GEMHEP)
Lamoril, J.; Lunel, F.; Laurent-Puig, P.; Defer, C.; Loiseau, P.; Lefrère, J.J.; Pawlotsky, J.M.; Marcellin, P.; Bouchardeau, F.; Bogard, M.
Journal of Hepatology 21(1): 133-134
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0168-8278 PMID: 7963407 DOI: 10.1016/s0168-8278(94)80150-9
Accession: 045736778
Third-generation recombinant immunoblot assay is widely used for the validation of the serological diagnosis of hepatitis C virus infection. To determine whether indeterminate recombinant immunoblot assay 3.0 patterns may be associated with viral replication and liver disease, 89 indeterminate patterns were studied (67 c22n 14 c33c, 5 c100p and 3 NS5); 35 (39%) had immunosuppression. Serum alanine aminotransferase activity was increased in 49 (55%); HCV RNA was evidenced through polymerase chain reaction in 52 (58%). The observation of indeterminate recombinant immunoblot assay 3.0 justifies investigation of liver disease and search for HCV RNA, since a large proportion of individuals with such patterns are hepatitis C virus-infected.