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Non‐A, non‐B chronic hepatitis is chronic hepatitis C: A sensitive assay for detection of hepatitis C virus RNA in the liver
Author(s) -
Hosoda Kazuhiko,
Omata Masao,
Yokosuka Osamu,
Kato Naoya,
Ohto Masao
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.1840150506
Subject(s) - virology , hepatitis c virus , virus , hepatitis b virus dna polymerase , hepatitis , rna , liver biopsy , antibody , medicine , hepatitis b virus , hepatitis c , hepatitis b , biology , gene , biopsy , immunology , genetics
Abstract To study the role of hepatitis C virus in non‐A, non‐B chronic hepatitis, 49 liver biopsy samples from 40 patients with non‐A, non‐B chronic hepatitis and 9 control patients were analyzed by complementary DNA/polymerase chain reaction. Two segments of the HCV genome, one in the nonstructural region and the other in the noncoding region, were amplified by two sets of primer pairs. With use of the nonstructural region primers, hepatitis C virus RNA was detected in 24 (60%) of 40 patients with non‐A, non‐B chronic hepatitis. Of these 40 patients, RNA was detected in 19 (70%) of 27 patients positive for antibody to hepatitis C virus and in 5 (38%) of 13 patients negative for antibody to hepatitis C virus. However, with the noncoding region primers, hepatitis C virus RNA was detected in 38 (95%) of 40 patients with non‐A, non‐B chronic hepatitis. Of these patients, the RNA was detected in 26 (96%) of 27 patients positive for antibody to hepatitis C virus and also in 12 (92%) of 13 patients positive for antibody to hepatitis C virus. Hepatitis C virus RNA was not detected in any of the control patients. Sequence analysis showed homology between our samples and the prototype to be only 66% to 77% in the nonstructural region but 99% to 100% in the noncoding region. We conclude that almost all patients with non‐A, non‐B chronic hepatitis in Japan are currently infected with hepatitis C virus, regardless of the presence or absence of antibody to hepatitis C virus. This assay appears useful for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of hepatitis C virus infection. (H EPATOLOGY 1992;15:777–781).

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