Clinical value of the detection of hepatitis C virus core antigen

AIM:To explore the value of detecting hepatitis C virus core antigen in HCV infected diseases.METHODS:The HCV-RNA was tested by fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction(FQ-PCR).The core antigens of HCV and anti-HCV were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).RESULTS:The positive rate of HCV-RNA in 191 patients was 71.2%,about 136 in 191.The positive rate of anti-HCV was 97.4%,about 186 in 191.The positive rate of HCV core antigen was 33.0%,about 63 in 191.After antiviral therapy for 2 patients,their HCV-RNA and anti-HCV were detected negative but their HCV core antigen was detected positive.In another patient,his anti-HCV was negative but his HCV core antigen was positive.CONCLUSION:As a supplemental test for anti-HCV examination the detection of HCV core antigen is of important clinical value in HCV infection diagnosis.