Predominance of antibodies to hepatitis C virus envelope proteins in various disease statuses of hepatitis C

The antibody profile to various proteins of hepatitis C virus (HCV) was stu died in 113 patients positive for HCV RNA in various disease statuses of he patitis C (HC). A single peptide (E2/NS1, aa 413-436 of HCV polyprotein) ch osen from a conserved region at the C-terminus of the hypervariable region (HVR) HVR1 of HCV was found to be sufficient for reliable diagnosis of the infection, even in the acute phase. Six hundred and one suspected HC cases and 200 voluntary blood donors were tested by this peptide. The sensitivity of detection of HCV antibodies by this peptide did not increase with addit ion of peptides from other HCV proteins. Our results clearly demonstrate th at antibodies to HCV envelope proteins occur in a higher percentage of the infected population than those to other proteins. This emphasizes the neces sity of using representative sequences from HCV envelope proteins in diagno stic immunoassays of this viral infection.