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Sensitivity and Specificity of Three Third‐Generation Anti‐Hepatitis C Virus ELISAs
Author(s) -
Vrielink H.,
Zaaijer H.L.,
Reesink H.W.,
Poel C.L.,
Cuypers H.T.M.,
Lelie P.N.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
vox sanguinis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.68
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1423-0410
pISSN - 0042-9007
DOI - 10.1111/j.1423-0410.1995.tb00341.x
Subject(s) - medicine , virology , serial dilution , blood donor , flaviviridae , hepatitis c virus , virus , immunology , pathology , alternative medicine
Three commercially available 3rd‐generation anti‐HCV ELISAs (Abbott, Murex and Ortho) were evaluated in various serum panels: (A) blood donor samples (n = 403) with 1st‐ or 2nd‐generation anti‐HCV ELISA (various manufacturers) positive test results; (B) non‐A, non‐B hepatitis patients (n = 212); (C) multitransfused patients (n = 253); (D) serial dilutions of HCV confirmed (RIBA and PCR) positive blood donors (n = 24), and (E) first‐time blood donors (n = 1,055). All samples of panels A, B and C were tested in PCR and RIBA‐2. In panels A, B and C, 398 samples were HCV PCR positive: all were detected by Abbott and Ortho, and 397 (99.7%) by Murex. The sample missed by the Murex ELISA showed an isolated anti‐C33c reactivity in RIBA‐2. In panels A–C, 442 samples were RIBA‐2 positive and all were detected by the 3 tests. With Probit analysis on results of panel D, no significant difference in sensitivity was observed between the 3 evaluated ELISAs. Specificities of Abbott, Murex and Ortho in 1,055 blood donors were 99.7, 99.3 and 99.9%, respectively (NS, χ 2 ). We conclude that the sensitivity and specificity of the 3 ELISAs are comparable although the C33c antigen in the Murex VK47 test should be improved.