Antibody testing and RT-PCR results in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection: HCV-RNA detection in PBMC of plasma viremia-negative HCV-seropositive persons

• DOI: 10.1007/bf02771840
• Publication Date: 2008-03-06T14:52:27Z
• Authors: C. Caudai; M. G. Padula; I. Bastianoni; P. E. Valensin; V. Shyamala; J. Han; C. A. Boggiano; P. Almi
• Keywords: Risk; 0301 basic medicine; RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; Hepacivirus; Hepatitis C Antibodies; Hepatitis C; Polymerase Chain Reaction; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; Predictive Value of Tests; Leukocytes, Mononuclear; Humans; RNA, Viral; Viremia; False Negative Reactions; DNA Primers

To evaluate the concordance between viremia and antibody testing in hepatitis C virus (HCV) diagnosis, 682 serum or plasma samples collected from patients with known or suspected HCV infection were tested. An overall concordance of 77% between serological and PCR results was found, 5% was RNA positive/antibody negative and 18% antibody positive/RNA negative. The relationship between HCV infection, risk group and clinical diagnosis was studied in 116 patients: the presence of anti-HCV antibody without viremia was shown in 72.7% of asymptomatic subjects and 17.6% of chronic hepatitis subjects without interferon treatment. However, the detection of HCV-RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in four out of 38 plasma viremia-negative HCV-seropositive subjects (10.5%), showed that HCV-RNA could persist in PBMC and could begin the viral replication again at different times. The detection of HCV-RNA in PBMC in anti-HCV-positive subjects without viremia could reduce false-negative results of HCV-RNA testing by RT-PCR in serum or plasma.