丙型肝炎患者血清抗丙型肝炎病毒抗体IgM及HCVRNA检测结果的比较

用酶联免疫吸附试验（ＥＬＩＳＡ）对住院病人抗丙型肝炎病毒抗体（抗－ＨＣＶ）阳性血清标本进行抗－ＨＣＶＩｇＭ的检测，并与ＨＣＶＲＮＡ检测结果比较。结果表明，ＨＣＶＲＮＡ阳性、抗－ＨＣＶ阳性，ＨＣＶＲＮＡ阳性、抗－ＨＣＶ阴性及ＨＣＶＲＮＡ阴性、抗－ＨＣＶ阳性三种类型中均有抗－ＨＣＶＩｇＭ阳性者。结果还表明ＨＣＶＲＮＡ阳性病例的抗－ＨＣＶＩｇＭ阳性率明显高于ＨＣＶＲＮＡ阴性的病例（Ｐ＜０．０５），在临床诊断上ＨＣＶＲＮＡ阳性与阴性病例的肝病大多数为急性肝炎（ＡＨ）和慢性活动性肝炎（ＣＡＨ），ＨＣＶＲＮＡ阳性与阴性比较，各类肝病的病例数无明显差别。     

输血后丙型肝炎与抗丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）阳性献血？…

采用丙型肝炎病毒（ＨＣＶ）５’－非编码区（５’－ＮＣＲ）和Ｃ区具有型特异性的引物建立的逆转录－聚合酶链反应方法检测了２５例丙型肝炎（ＨＣ）和２６例抗－ＨＣＶ阳性献血员的ＨＣＶ ＲＮＡ及基因型。结果２５例ＨＣ患者ＨＣＶ ＲＮＡ阳性率为１００．０％，２６例抗－ＨＣＶ阳性献血员ＨＣＶ ＲＮＡ阳性率为８４．５％，（２２／２６）。２５例ＨＣ中Ｉ、Ⅱ和混合型（Ｉ＋Ⅱ、Ⅱ＋Ⅲ、Ｉ＋Ⅲ、Ｉ＋Ⅱ＋Ⅲ）分别占８．０％     

血清学标志阴性的非甲～戊型肝炎的病原学研究

目的对血清学标志阴性的非甲～戊型肝炎进行病原学研究。方法用ＨＢＶＰＣＲ、ＨＣＶＲＴ－ＰＣＲ和ＨＥＶＲＴ－ＰＣＲ分别检测血清学标志阴性的非甲～戊型肝炎患者血清，并对其部分阳性产物进行克隆测序。结果８７例非甲～戊型肝炎血清ＨＢＶＤＮＡ均为阴性，９例（１０．３％）为ＨＣＶＲＮＡ阳性，部分经测序证实为ＨＣＶ１ｂ亚型；余７８例为ＨＢＶＤＮＡ和ＨＣＶＲＮＡ均阴性。该７８例中，１４例因无血清未作ＨＥＶＲＮＡ检测，余６４例中４９例（７６．６％）为ＨＥＶＲＮＡ阴性，１５例（２３．４％）为ＨＥＶＲＮＡ阳性。经序列分析显示，其中９例为典型的中国ＨＥＶ株基因序列，６例变异较大，与典型的中国株基因序列的同源性仅为８０％左右。４９例ＨＢＶＤＮＡ、ＨＣＶＲＮＡ和ＨＥＶＲＮＡ均阴性的血清中１６例（３２．６％）ＨＧＶＲＮＡ阳性。由此可见，该８７例中至少有９例为ＨＣＶ感染，１５例为ＨＥＶ感染，１６例为ＨＧＶ感染。结论对血清学标志阴性的非甲～戊型肝炎的病人应该用ＰＣＲ法进行病原学分型，以明确其诊断     

丙型肝炎患者血清抗丙型肝炎病毒性抗IgM及HCVRN…

用酶联免疫吸附试验对住院病人抗丙型肝炎病毒抗体阳性血清标本进行抗－ＨＣＶＩｇＭ的检测，并与ＨＣＶＲＮＡ检测结果比较。结果表明，ＨＣＶＲＮＡ阳性、抗－ＨＣＶ阳性，ＨＣＶＲＮＡ阳性，抗－ＨＣＶ阴性及ＨＣＶＲＮＡ阴性，抗－ＨＣＶ阳性三类型中均有抗－ＨＣＶＩｇＭ阳性者。     

从基因分型看血液透析及肾移植患者丙型肝炎病毒感染状况

采用国产和美国Ｏｒｔｈｏ公司第２代抗丙型肝炎病毒（ＨＣＶ）试剂对１００例维持性血透及肾移植患者进行血清丙型肝炎病毒抗体（抗－ＨＣＶ）对比检测。阳性标本用聚合酶键反应（ＰＣＲ）法检测ＨＣＶＲＮＡ并采用型特异的ＨＣＶ亚基因探针对其非结构蛋白ＮＳＳ区扩增产物进行了杂交基因分型。结果表明，这组病人中抗－ＨＣＶ阳性率为４１％，肾移植术后再透析者达５６．５２％，且与透析时间、输血次数、受血量成正相关；国产抗－ＨＣＶ试剂同美国Ｏｒｔｈｏ公司试剂比较阳性符合率达９１．４３％；抗－ＨＣＶ阳性患者中有３１．４３％（１１／３２）血清ＨＣＶＲＮＡＮＳ５阳性；透析患者中，ＨＣＶ基因型各型均有，以混合型为主，占６３．６４％。     

多重引物聚合酶链反应扩增丙型肝炎病毒基因及基 …

利用聚合酶链反应（ＰＣＲ）技术对丙型肝炎病毒（ＨＣＶ）的５’－非编码区（５’－ＮＣＲ）、Ｃ及ＮＳ４基因区的３对引物分别及同时扩增，检测８０例抗－ＨＣＶ阳性患者的血清ＨＣＶ ＲＮＡ，并进行了ＨＣＶ基因分型研究。各不同引物所介导的ＰＣＲ检出ＨＣＶ ＲＮＡ的结果为：５’－ＮＣＲ基因区６０％（４８／８０），Ｃ基因区３７％（３０／８０），ＮＳ４基因区３０％（２４／８０）。以上３对引物同时扩增仅４２％（３４／     

肝病患者血清抗HCV及HCVRNA的检测与意义

利用第２代抗ＨＣＶＥＬＩＳＡ试剂和ＰＣＲ技术对１８６例肝病患者进行了抗ＨＣＶ和ＨＣＶＲＮＡ检测。６３例患者（３３．８７％）抗ＨＣＶ和／或ＨＣＶＲＮＡ阳性，表明本组肝病患者存在较严重的ＨＣＶ感染，ＨＣＶ标志物（ＨＣＶｍ）阳性肝病患者较ＨＣＶｍ阴性肝病患者有更高的输血，手术，接种和拔牙等血液暴露史（Ｐ〈０．０５或Ｐ〈０．０１）。６３例ＨＣＶ感染者中，３４例抗ＨＣＶ和ＨＣＶＲＮＡ同时阳性，另有患者表现为     

抗HCV阳性患者体液中正链和负链HCVRNA的检测及意义

为了解ＨＣＶ感染者血清和体液中ＨＣＶ存在状况，利用ＲＴ－巢式ＰＣＲ方法检测了４２例抗ＨＣＶ阳性患者血清，唾液、精夜或阴道分泌物中的ＨＣＶＲＮＡ。患者血清和体液中ＨＣＶＲＮＡ的检测出率分别为：血清６９．０５％（２９／４２），唾液２３．８１％（１０／４２），精液３６．６％（４／１１），阴道分泌物１５．３８％（２／１３）。     

831名健康青年庚型肝炎病毒和人免疫缺陷病毒感染的调查

目的了解我国健康青年中庚型肝炎病毒（ＨＧＶ）和人免疫缺陷病毒的感染情况。方法采用酶联免疫法（ＥＩＡ）检测６省８３１名健康青年血清中的ＨＧＶ和ＨＩＶ抗体，对抗－ＨＧＶＩｇＧ阳性的血清再用逆转录－巢式聚合酶链反应（ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ）检测ＨＧＶＲＮＡ。结果发现抗－ＨＣＶＩｇＧ阳性率为２５３％（２１／８３１），２１例阳性者中ＨＧＶＲＮＡ阳性８例，两者符合率为３８１％；抗－ＨＩＶ均阴性。结论我国健康青年人群中确实存在ＨＧＶ感染。     

聚合酶链反应鉴定丙型肝炎病毒母婴传播的状态及其意义

采用多种方法，动态检测了１１例丙型肝炎病毒（ＨＣＶ）感染的孕妇所生的婴儿血抗－ＨＣＶ和ＨＣＶＲＮＡ。发现用合成肽酶联免疫吸附试验（ｓｐＥＬＩＳＡ）检测婴儿抗－ＨＣＶ阳性率（２３．５２％）显著低于第二代重组抗原ＥＬＩＳＡ（２ｎｄＥＬＩＳＡ）（４１．１８％）（Ｐ＜０．０５）；用２ｎｄＥＬＩＳＡ检测，６例婴儿脐血和静脉血抗－ＨＣＶ阳性，５例持续１～５月阴转，１例阳性持续１３个月。经重组免疫印迹试验（ＲＩＢＡ）鉴定，４例阳性，２例可疑阳性。用逆转录聚合酶链反应（ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ）检测ＨＣＶＲＮＡ，５例阳性，３例于生后１～６个月自然阴转，２例持续阳性分别达９个月和１３个月。提示检测抗－ＨＣＶ判断ＨＣＶ母婴传播的状态受到婴儿抗－ＨＣＶ产生水平低下、母体抗－ＨＣＶ的被动输入和不同检测方法的影响，用ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ检测ＨＣＶＲＮＡ是判断母婴传播更可靠的指标。     

血清中丙型肝炎NS3抗原ELISA检测方法的建立和初步应用

目的 评价血清中丙型肝炎病毒(HCV)游离NS3抗原的酶联免疫吸附(ELISA)检测方法的特异性和灵敏度,初步探讨该方法在临床应用中的意义.方法 对77例正常人血清标本,173例抗-HCV阳性标本和3708例抗-HCV阴性的其他类型肝炎血清标本检测HCV游离NS3抗原;对部分HCV NS3抗原阳性标本进行验证,包括HCV RNA测定、中和试验和免疫斑点试验;对11例患者的25份系列血清标本进行了HCV游离NS3抗原、HCV RNA和HCV抗体的联合检测,并结合临床资料综合分析.结果 3708例抗-HCV阴性的其他类型肝炎血清标本中有48例为HCV NS3抗原阳性,其中3030例单纯乙型肝炎和445例其他类型肝炎血清标本中分别有44例和4例为HCV NS3抗原阳性;173例HCV抗体阳性标本中有42例为HCV NS3抗原阳性;77例正常人血清标本的HCV NS3抗原检测结果均为阴性;15例HCV NS3抗原阳性标本中有9例为HCV RNA阳性;23例HCV NS3抗原阳性标本的中和率和免疫斑点试验的阳性率分别为87.0%和69.6%;25份系列血清标本的检测结果显示其HCV NS3抗原的吸光度值与时间呈负相关,并有2例HCV NS3抗原阳性标本随着血清中HCV NS3抗原的吸光度值下降,其HCV抗体转阳.结论 血清中HCV游离NS3抗原的ELISA检测方法有较好的特异性和敏感度,在发展中国家应用此方法进行HCV感染的早期诊断有一定的临床意义和推广价值.     

Use of polymerase chain reaction for early detection and management of hepatitis C virus infection after needlestick injury

Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a matter of great concern because of its potentially grave consequences. Instead of relying on the conventional anti-HCV antibody test to detect HCV infection after needlestick incidents, we used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to achieve earlier detection, to manage a patient more effectively, and to exclude possible infection more quickly. Fourteen incidents were studied in which the source patients were positive for both the anti-HCV antibody and HCV RNA, and the exposed subjects were negative for anti-HCV antibody at the time of the incidents. In one of the exposed subjects, a nurse, the result of the PCR test for HCV RNA was positive at 2 wk after the needlestick incident; the nurse's viral load was very low (800 copies/ml) and she responded well to immediate medical treatment. She never developed acute hepatitis C; her serum anti-HCV antibody level and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity did not become elevated, and results of her PCR test for HCV RNA were negative following treatment. In the other 13 needlestick incidents, the results of PCR tests of the exposed subjects were negative for HCV RNA throughout the study and possible infections were quickly ruled out.     

Antibody responses to the hepatitis C virus E2 protein: Relationship to viraemia and prevalence in anti-HCV seronegative subjects

A small proportion of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection show no serological responses to the HCV polypeptides incorporated in commercial III generation immunoassays. To determine whether sera from these subjects contain antibodies to the highly immunoreactive second envelope polypeptide E2, which is not included in current anti-HCV assays, we studied 59 anti-HCV negative subjects who were found consistently to be HCV RNA positive by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Controls included 167 anti-HCV seropositive patients with or without serum HCV RNA and normal subjects. Antibodies to the E2 region were sought for by ELISA using the following antigens: a full length E2 protein expressed in insect cells using a baculovirus vector and extracted under denaturing conditions (dE2), and a C-terminal truncated soluble E2 (sE2) protein (a.a. 390–683), also expressed with a baculovirus vector, containing a signal peptide of rabies virus G protein which allows its secretion into the culture supernatant. Sera from only two (3.4%) of the 59 anti-HCV negative, HCV RNA positive patients recognised sE2 and none dE2. In sharp contrast, 82% of seropositive, viraemic patients recognised sE2 and 60% dE2, the difference in immunoreactivity being statistically significant (P < 0.0003). A significantly lower proportion of sera from anti-HCV positive, HCV RNA negative subjects recognised either sE2 or dE2 (16% and 13%, respectively, P < 0.000001). Healthy controls were consistently negative. These results indicate that antibody responses to predominantly conformational epitopes on the HCV E2 protein are common in patients with chronic HCV infection and are strictly related to the presence of circulating viral genomes. In contrast, only a minor proportion of HCV RNA positive patients, but anti-HCV seronegative by commercial immunoassays, have humoral immune responses to the HCV E2 region. J Med Virol 51:1–5, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Hepatitis C virus infection in hemodialysis patients in southern Sweden: Epidemiological,clinical, and diagnostic aspects

A prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies of 12% was found in 276 patients from 11 dialysis units. Between zero and 22% of the patients in the different units were anti-HCV positive. The epidemiology of HCV was studied in two units during a 2 year period by antibody assays and the polymerase chain reaction and correlated with clinical manifestations. Two types of epidemiologic patterns were found that may explain the wide difference of HCV prevalence described in different dialysis units. In one unit there was no evidence of spread within the unit, and the prevalence of HCV was dependent on the status of the patients entering for treatment. In the other unit, a clustering of infected patients could be seen in which 13 of 36 were infected during a 3 year period. Some patients who had not received blood transfusions were among the infected. Hepatitis C infection was the most common explanation for repeated abnormal transferase levels. Most of the HCV-infected patients reacted both for anti-HCV and HCV RNA. HCV RNA was in general detected earlier than anti-HCV seroconversion. Among 20 HCV RNApositive serum samples that were anti-HCV ELISA-positive 18 had indeterminate and two negative reactions by immunoblot (RIBA 2). Thus the RIBA 2 test should be used with caution as a confirmatory antibody test in this group of patients. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Detection of HCV RNA in saliva, urine, seminal fluid, and ascites.

Approximately half of the patients with type C hepatitis do not have a history of parenteral exposure. The route of nonparenteral infection remains unknown. To evaluate the possible role of body fluids, the existence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in saliva, urine, seminal fluid, and ascites was examined by "nested" polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Amplification of the HCV 5' noncoding sequences was carried out. The amplified product was confirmed by Southern blot hybridization and restriction endonuclease digestion. Among 34 patients with chronic liver disease who were positive for anti-HCV and serum HCV RNA, the prevalence of HCV RNA in body fluids was 100% (7/7) in ascites, 48% (15/31) in saliva, 24% (4/17) in seminal fluid, and 7% (2/29) in urine. The body fluids collected from 3 healthy subjects and 5 patients with chronic liver disease who were positive for anti-HCV but negative for serum HCV RNA were all negative for HCV RNA. Hence, the potential infectivity of body fluids in patients testing negative for serum HCV RNA can probably be discounted. Conversely, the presence of HCV RNA in saliva and seminal fluid of patients positive for serum HCV RNA suggests sexual and household contact as likely modes of nonparenteral transmission of type C hepatitis. Furthermore, the high prevalence of HCV RNA in ascites and saliva may have important implications in medical and dental practice.     

A cost-effective algorithm for the diagnosis of Hepatitis C virus infection and prediction of HCV viremia in Cameroon

Conventional tests for antibody to Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HCV RNA require considerable time before results are available, remain very expensive and are not adapted to many sub-Saharan African countries where HCV is endemic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of an algorithm consisting of two HCV rapid tests to diagnose and predict HCV viremia in patients in Cameroon. Three hundred and twenty nine plasma samples were screened by two HCV rapid tests (ImmunoComb II HCV, PBS Orgenics and Hexagon HCV, Human). Previous evaluation of these samples for HCV antibodies (anti-HCV) by conventional third generation ELISA, considered as a reference test, indicated that 168 were anti-HCV negative and 161 positive. Among the 161 anti-HCV positive plasma, 114 (71%) were HCV RNA-positive by RT-PCR assay. The ImmunoComb II HCV test provided the more sensitive detection of anti-HCV (sensitivity: 99.4% with a 95% CI = 96-100%). Surprisingly, the second HCV rapid test, Hexagon HCV, showed a high capacity to identify non-viremic subjects amongst anti-HCV positive cases (93.6% [95% CI: 82-99%]). These results suggest an algorithm using ImmunoComb II HCV as a first test to screen anti-HCV positive subjects, and Hexagon HCV as a second test to discriminate between viremic and non-viremic HCV seropositive subjects.     

Simultaneous detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) core antigen and anti-HCV antibodies improves the early detection of HCV infection

To evaluate whether a new enzyme immunoassay developed for the simultaneous detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) core antigen (Ag) and anti-HCV antibodies (anti-HCV Ab) (Monolisa HCV Ag/Ab ULTRA; Bio-Rad) could improve the early detection of HCV infection, we compared its sensitivity to that of anti-HCV, HCV core Ag, and HCV RNA assays. The populations studied included 12 blood donor samples positive for HCV RNA and HCV core Ag but negative for anti-HCV antibodies and 23 hemodialysis patients who developed anti-HCV Ab (seroconversion) during the follow-up. From these 23 individuals, 83 samples sequentially collected prior to seroconversion and 108 samples collected after seroconversion were tested. Six of 12 blood donations were positive by the HCV Ag/Ab assay. In the hemodialysis cohort, the 24 HCV RNA-negative samples were negative by the HCV Ag/Ab assay and 23 of the 59 HCV RNA-positive samples (39%) were positive. The HCV Ag/Ab assay detected HCV infection on average 21.6 days before the most sensitive antibody assay. The HCV Ag/Ab assay did not detect HCV infection as early as the HCV RNA assay (mean delay, 30.3 days) or HCV Ag assay (mean delays, 27.9, and 16.3 days by the HCV core Ag quantification assay and the HCV Ag blood screening assay, respectively). This new assay provides a notable improvement for the early detection of HCV infection during the so-called window period compared with anti-HCV Ab assays and could be a useful alternative to HCV RNA detection or HCV core Ag assays for diagnosis or blood screening when nucleic acid technologies or HCV core Ag detection are not implemented.