Laboratory diagnosis of viral hepatitis C The Sultan Qaboos University Hospital experience
Journal Title: Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal - Year 2003, Vol 5, Issue 1
Abstract
Objectives: A retrospective study was carried out to assess the performance of hepatitis C diagnostic assays in our laboratory, and to determine the prevalence of hepatitis C among blood donors at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital. Methods: From 1991 to 2001, approximately 55,000 serum samples collected from blood donors and patients were submitted to our laboratory for testing. All sera were screened for antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV) by three successive generations of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Anti-HCV positive sera were further tested by recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA). Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) for HCV RNA was carried out on a limited number (241) of ELISA positive samples. Results: Out of 30012 samples from blood donors that were screened for anti-HCV, 272 (0.91%) were positive. Of these, 46.5% were confirmed positive by RIBA. The proportion of patient sera that were confirmed positive varied from 95% among intravenous drug users to 81% in patients with hepatitis to 70% in those with haemoglobinopathies. HCV RNA was detected in 67%, 6%, and 0% of the RIBA positive, indeterminate and negative samples respectively. Conclusions: Based on RIBA, the prevalence of anti-HCV among blood donors in Oman is close to 0.5%. In our experience, RIBA-positivity is predictive of HCV infection in two thirds of subjects, and HCV infection is highly unlikely in those who are RIBA-negative. The experience at SQUH with three types of HCV assays has enabled the laboratory to develop a test algorithm, starting with screening anti-HCV ELISA.
Authors and Affiliations
Said H S Al Dhahry| Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P O Box 35, Al Khod, Muscat-123, Sultanate of Oman, Jameel C Nograles| Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, P O Box 38, Al Khod-123, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, Situsekara M W W B Rajapakse| Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, P O Box 38, Al Khod-123, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, Fadhila S S Al Toqi| Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, P O Box 38, Al Khod-123, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, Geraldine Z Kaminski| Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, P O Box 38, Al Khod-123, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP13668
- DOI -
- Views 378
- Downloads 16
Mid-Gut Carcinoid Tumour Presenting as Suspected Orbital Metastasis
Although metastasis of carcinoid tumours of the intestine is rare, it has been reported in several organs, mainly in the lungs, the liver and less commonly in the orbits. We report a 50-year-old male patient who presente...
A Case of Pure Matrix Ureteral Stone: A rare type of urinary calculi that may be overlooked
Matrix stones are a rare form of urinary calculi with a low mineral content. We report a 63-year-old female patient who presented to the Sohar Hospital, Sohar, Oman, in 2018 with unexplained left flank pain and constipat...
Decision-to-Delivery Time Intervals in Emergency Caesarean Section Cases Repeated cross-sectional study from Oman
Objectives: In cases of fetal intolerance to labour, meeting the standard decision-to-delivery time interval (DDI) of ≤30 minutes is challenging. Tis study aimed to assess DDIs in emergency Caesarean section (CS) cas...
Impact of Fungiform Papillae Count on Taste Perception and Different Methods of Taste Assessment and their Clinical Applications: A comprehensive review
Fungiform papillae are raised lingual structures which contain taste buds and thus play an important role in taste perception. These structures vary in number due to their relative sensitivity to a range of systemic and...
Cost-Effectiveness of Wound Care: A concept analysis
This review aimed to analyse the concept of cost-effectiveness within the context of chronic wound care using Walker and Avant’s approach. The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature® (EBSCO Information...