CLINICAL-APPLICATION OF HEPATITIS-C VIRUS CORE PROTEIN IN EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF ACUTE HEPATITIS-C

A fluorescence enzyme immunoassay (FEIA) for the quantitative measurem ent of hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein has recently been develope d. In this study, we studied the clinical usefulness of this measureme nt in patients with acute hepatitis C. Eighteen patients with post-tra nsfusion acute hepatitis C were enrolled in the study; 5 patients show ed resolution of hepatitis with disappearance of HCV viremia, while th e remaining 13 patients did not. A second generation HCV antibody, HCV RNA, and HCV core protein were measured in serial serum samples taken within 1 month of the onset of acute hepatitis and 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months after onset. Within the first month after disese onset, the positivity rates of HCV RNA (100%; P = 0.0014) and HCV core protein (8 9%; P = 0.0300) were both significantly higher than that of HCV antibo dy (56%). Six months after disease onset, the positivity rate of HCV a ntibody had increased, to 100%, and the pasitivity rates of HCV RNA an d HCV core protein began to decrease. HCV core protein levels did not differ between patients with resolved and unresolved disease in the fi rst month after disease onset. These findings indicate that FEIA, a si mple assay, for the measurement of HCV core protein was useful for the early diagnosis of acute hepatitis C.