Clinical utility of hepatitis C virus core antigen (HCVcAg) assay to identify active HCV infection in hemodialysis and renal transplant patients.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The prevalence of HCV infection is high and it is a major cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis and renal transplant patients. Diagnosis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection requires both HCV antibody screening and confirmatory nucleic acid testing (NAT). Hepatitis C virus core antigen (HCVcAg) is a reliable direct viral marker to identify active HCV infection.

Aim

To assess the clinical utility of HCV core antigen to identify active HCV infection in hemodialysis and renal transplant patients.

Methods

A representative total of 231 plasma samples with a predominance of low viral load were included for HCVcAg testing and its performance characteristics were compared with the gold standard HCV RNA.

Results

Comparison of HCVcAg w

SUBMITTER: Ponnuvel S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8061997 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature