Biomaterial Database

Recombinant immunoblot and polymerase chain reaction testing in volunteer whole blood donors screened by a multi-antigen assay for hepatitis C virus antibodies. 1993

M H Sayers, and D R Gretch

Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle.

The purpose of this study was to compare the results of supplementary testing of volunteer whole blood donors who had been screened by the first hepatitis C virus antibody assay licensed in the United States with results from donors screened by a newer, more sensitive, multi-antigen assay. In contrast to the earlier assay, the multi-antigen assay incorporates a recombinant hepatitis C virus antigen, c22-3, which is encoded by a structural region of the viral genome. Supplementary testing included a second-generation recombinant immunoblot assay and a highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction assay for evidence of hepatitis C virus genomic RNA. A comparison of supplementary test results reveals a higher percentage of donors screened by the newer assay to be indeterminate on recombinant immunoblot (34.4% vs. 6.4%, p < 0.05). Furthermore, polymerase chain reaction testing of donors with indeterminate blot results shows that 14 percent have evidence of viral RNA. For this reason, counseling of donors with indeterminate patterns on immunoblot must include informing them of the possibility that they are infected.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008722	Methods	A series of steps taken in order to conduct research.	Techniques,Methodological Studies,Methodological Study,Procedures,Studies, Methodological,Study, Methodological,Method,Procedure,Technique
D001782	Blood Donors	Individuals supplying blood or blood components for transfer to histocompatible recipients.	Blood Donor,Donor, Blood,Donors, Blood
D004797	Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay	An immunoassay utilizing an antibody labeled with an enzyme marker such as horseradish peroxidase. While either the enzyme or the antibody is bound to an immunosorbent substrate, they both retain their biologic activity; the change in enzyme activity as a result of the enzyme-antibody-antigen reaction is proportional to the concentration of the antigen and can be measured spectrophotometrically or with the naked eye. Many variations of the method have been developed.	ELISA,Assay, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent,Assays, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent,Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay,Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays,Immunosorbent Assay, Enzyme-Linked,Immunosorbent Assays, Enzyme-Linked
D006508	Hepatitis Antibodies	Immunoglobulins raised by any form of viral hepatitis; some of these antibodies are used to diagnose the specific kind of hepatitis.	Antibodies, Hepatitis
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000956	Antigens, Viral	Substances elaborated by viruses that have antigenic activity.	Viral Antigen,Viral Antigens,Antigen, Viral
D012367	RNA, Viral	Ribonucleic acid that makes up the genetic material of viruses.	Viral RNA
D015151	Immunoblotting	Immunologic method used for detecting or quantifying immunoreactive substances. The substance is identified by first immobilizing it by blotting onto a membrane and then tagging it with labeled antibodies.	Dot Immunoblotting,Electroimmunoblotting,Immunoelectroblotting,Reverse Immunoblotting,Immunoblotting, Dot,Immunoblotting, Reverse,Dot Immunoblottings,Electroimmunoblottings,Immunoblottings,Immunoblottings, Dot,Immunoblottings, Reverse,Immunoelectroblottings,Reverse Immunoblottings
D016133	Polymerase Chain Reaction	In vitro method for producing large amounts of specific DNA or RNA fragments of defined length and sequence from small amounts of short oligonucleotide flanking sequences (primers). The essential steps include thermal denaturation of the double-stranded target molecules, annealing of the primers to their complementary sequences, and extension of the annealed primers by enzymatic synthesis with DNA polymerase. The reaction is efficient, specific, and extremely sensitive. Uses for the reaction include disease diagnosis, detection of difficult-to-isolate pathogens, mutation analysis, genetic testing, DNA sequencing, and analyzing evolutionary relationships.	Anchored PCR,Inverse PCR,Nested PCR,PCR,Anchored Polymerase Chain Reaction,Inverse Polymerase Chain Reaction,Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction,PCR, Anchored,PCR, Inverse,PCR, Nested,Polymerase Chain Reactions,Reaction, Polymerase Chain,Reactions, Polymerase Chain
D016174	Hepacivirus	A genus of FLAVIVIRIDAE causing parenterally-transmitted HEPATITIS C which is associated with transfusions and drug abuse. Hepatitis C virus is the type species.	Hepatitis C virus,Hepatitis C-Like Viruses,Hepaciviruses,Hepatitis C Like Viruses,Hepatitis C viruses,Hepatitis C-Like Virus