Inconclusive Hepatitis C Virus Antibody Results in African Sera

Abstract

In Africa, the prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV) is low compared to the frequency of serologic markers of hepatitis B, but high levels of false-positive anti-HCV ELISA results have been reported. To investigate the causes of false-positive results, sera from 688 outpatients living on the eastern coast of Kenya were evaluated. These data suggest that hepatitis C infection is very infrequent in eastern Kenya; however, false- positive ELISA results and inconclusive confirmatory assay results are common but unrelated to flavivirus infection (dengue, West Nile) and antibody to P. falciparum. False positivity and inconclusive reactions could be related to prolonged storage of samples, cross-reacting antibody to unknown antigens, or infection by HCV variants

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1993
Accession Number
ADA265839

Entities

People

  • David S. Vallari
  • F. A. Okoth
  • John C. Morrill
  • Kenneth C. Hyams
  • P. M. Tukei

Organizations

  • Naval Medical Research Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Antibodies
  • Antigens
  • Biomedical Research
  • Blood Transfusions
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Flaviviridae Infections
  • Flavivirus Infections
  • Hepatitis
  • Infection
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Liver Diseases
  • Parasitic Diseases
  • Virus Diseases
  • Viruses
  • Wound Infections
  • Zoonoses

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Regression Analysis.
  • Virology (or Medical Virology).