HEPATITIS-C VIRUS PARTICLE DETECTED BY IMMUNOELECTRON MICROSCOPIC STUDY

To clarify the morphology of hepatitis C virus (HCV), an indirect immu nogold electron microscopic study was carried out on two plasma sample s with high HCV RNA titres using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies specific to the putative HCV envelope protein. Spherical virus-like pa rticles, 55 to 65 nm in diameter with spikelike projections, were foun d in 1.14 to 1.16 g/ml fractions after sucrose density gradient centri fugation. These particles were found only in HCV-infected blood donors and had morphological features similar to those of flaviviruses. More over, these particles specifically reacted with the polyclonal and mon oclonal antibodies to the putative HCV envelope protein. This is the f irst known report in which the morphology of the HCV particle is clear ly shown.