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The world prevalence, associated risk factors and mortality of hepatitis C virus infection in hemodialysis patients: a meta-analysis. J Nephrol 2022; 35:2269-2282. [PMID: 36383211 PMCID: PMC9666992 DOI: 10.1007/s40620-022-01483-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The worldwide burden of HCV infection among hemodialysis patients has not been systematically examined. METHODS A systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE and Scopus to determine the worldwide prevalence of HCV infection, risk factors, and clinical outcomes among hemodialysis patients. Random-effect models and meta-regressions were used to generate pooled estimates and assess heterogeneity. RESULTS Four hundred and seven studies with 1,302,167 participants were analyzed. The pooled prevalence of HCV infection was 21%. The highest prevalence was observed in Africa (28%) and low-income countries (48.5%). A significant prevalence decline was observed following the publication year and was also inversely related to GDP and total population of each country. Factors associated with HCV positivity included younger age, longer dialysis duration, more blood transfusions, and dialyzer reuse. The pooled unadjusted hazard ratio for all-cause mortality was 1.12 (95% CI 1.03-1.22), and the adjusted hazard ratio was 1.21 (95% CI 1.12-1.30) in HCV-infected compared to non-HCV infected patients. CONCLUSIONS HCV infection among hemodialysis patients is a worldwide shared burden and is associated with a higher risk of death. Avoiding unnecessary blood transfusion and dialyzer reuse should be encouraged to prevent HCV transmission in hemodialysis units.
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Jadoul M, Awan A, Berenguer M, Bruchfeld A, Fabrizi F, Goldberg D, Jia J, Kamar N, Mohamed R, Pessôa M, Pol S, Sise M, Martin P. KDIGO 2022 Clinical Practice Guideline FOR the Prevention, Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of Hepatitis C in Chronic Kidney Disease. Kidney Int 2022; 102:S129-S205. [PMID: 36410841 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2022.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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3
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Kallala O, Kacem S, Fodha I, Pozzetto B, Abdelhalim T. Role of hepatitis C virus core antigen assay in hepatitis C care in developing country. EGYPTIAN LIVER JOURNAL 2021; 11:77. [PMID: 34777874 PMCID: PMC8449518 DOI: 10.1186/s43066-021-00146-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The World Health Organization (WHO) aims to achieve global hepatitis C elimination by 2030, defined as diagnosis of 90% of infected individuals and treating 80% of them. Current guidelines for the screening and diagnosis of hepatitis C infection denote using a relatively cheap screen with anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody immunoassay, followed by the much costlier molecular test for HCV RNA levels using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay to confirm active HCV infection. Simplification of the HCV evaluation algorithm to reduce the number of required tests could considerably expand the provision of HCV treatment especially in a developing country. This study investigates the performance of hepatitis C Core Antigen (HCV Ag) test by comparing HCV Ag results versus the results obtained with HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) PCR which is considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of HCV infection. Results Among the 109 anti-HCV positive sera, 96 were positive for both HCV Ag (> 3 fmol/L) and HCV RNA (> 15 IU/mL); 8 were negative for both tests, while the remaining 5 were positive for HCV RNA only. Considering the HCV RNA as gold standard; the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of HCV Ag test were found to be 95.05%, 100%, 100%, and 61.54%, respectively. HCV genotype was performed for 59 patients. The most common HCV genotype was genotype 1 (72.9%). Genotype 2 (15.3%) and genotype 3 (11.9%) were detected in the others samples. A high level of correlation was seen between HCV RNA and HCV Ag (r = 0.958, p < 0.001). The correlation for the samples that were genotyped 1 was significant (r = 0.966, p < 0.001). Conclusion In our study, it was found that there was strong correlation between HCV RNA levels and HCV Ag levels. So, it can be used for a one-step HCV antigen test to diagnose active HCV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ouafa Kallala
- Research Laboratory for "Epidemiology and Immunogenetics of Viral Infections" (LR14SP02), Sahloul University Hospital, University of Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia.,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Avicenne Street, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Saoussen Kacem
- Research Laboratory for "Epidemiology and Immunogenetics of Viral Infections" (LR14SP02), Sahloul University Hospital, University of Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia.,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Avicenne Street, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Imene Fodha
- Research Laboratory for "Epidemiology and Immunogenetics of Viral Infections" (LR14SP02), Sahloul University Hospital, University of Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia.,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Avicenne Street, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Bruno Pozzetto
- GIMAP EA3064, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Saint-Etienne/Université de Lyon, Lyon, France.,Laboratoire des Agents infectieux et d'Hygiène, CHU de Saint-Etienne, Saint-Priest-en-Jarez, France
| | - Trabelsi Abdelhalim
- Research Laboratory for "Epidemiology and Immunogenetics of Viral Infections" (LR14SP02), Sahloul University Hospital, University of Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia.,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Avicenne Street, Monastir, Tunisia
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4
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Shenge JA, Osiowy C. Rapid Diagnostics for Hepatitis B and C Viruses in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. FRONTIERS IN VIROLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fviro.2021.742722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The global health challenge posed by hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) persists, especially in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs), where underdiagnosis of these viral infections remains a barrier to the elimination target of 2030. HBV and HCV infections are responsible for most liver-related mortality worldwide. Infected individuals are often unaware of their condition and as a result, continue to transmit these viruses. Although conventional diagnostic tests exist, in LMIC they are largely inaccessible due to high costs or a lack of trained personnel, resulting in poor linkage to care and increased infections. Timely and accurate diagnosis is needed to achieve elimination of hepatitis B and C by the year 2030 as set out by the World Health Organization Global Health Sector Strategy. In this review rapid diagnostic tests allowing for quick and cost-effective screening and diagnosis of HBV and HCV, are discussed, as are their features, including suitability, reliability, and applicability in LMIC, particularly those within Africa.
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Aguilera A, Alados JC, Alonso R, Eiros JM, García F. Current position of viral load versus hepatitis C core antigen testing. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin 2021; 38 Suppl 1:12-18. [PMID: 32111360 DOI: 10.1016/j.eimc.2020.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Quantification of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA (viral load) is the most widely used marker to diagnose and confirm active HCV infection. The HCV core antigen forms part of the internal structure of the virus and, like HCV RNA, its detection also indicates viral replication and presents certain advantages over viral load testing such as its lower cost, the greater stability of the target, the possibility of working with the same primary tube as that used for HCV serology, and the rapidity of obtaining results, since there is no need to work in batches, unlike the situation with most viral load platforms. Although the core antigen has lower analytical sensitivity than HCV RNA for the detection of low viremia levels, several studies and guidelines have already shown their utility in the identification of patients with active HCV infection. This article summarises current platforms for viral load determination, including point-of-care systems, and also reviews the indications attributed to this marker by the main HCV treatment guidelines. The article also reviews the characteristics of HCV core antigen, the available platforms for its determination, its correlation with viral load determination, and the indications for this marker in the distinct guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Aguilera
- Servicio de Microbiología, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela y Departamento de Microbiología de la Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, España
| | - Juan Carlos Alados
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario de Jerez, Jerez, Cádiz, España
| | - Roberto Alonso
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, España
| | - José María Eiros
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Río Hortega, Valladolid, España
| | - Federico García
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio, Granada, España; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria Ibs.Granada, Granada, España.
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6
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Detection of hepatitis C virus core antigen as an alternative method for diagnosis of hepatitis C virus infection in blood donors negative for hepatitis C virus antibody. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020; 32:1348-1351. [PMID: 31895913 DOI: 10.1097/meg.0000000000001647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Screening of blood donors in many countries is based on the use of serologic assays to detect specific anti-HCV antibodies (HCV Ab), but it lacks detection sensitivity. So, HCV RNA detection using the current gold standard real-time PCR is a must to rule out HCV infection with the main disadvantage being of high cost. HCV core antigen (HCV-c-Ag) immunoassay is proposed as a more cost efficient alternative to HCV RNA detection with PCR. AIM To evaluate the effectiveness of HCV-c-Ag detection as a cheap alternative to HCV RNA (PCR) in diagnosis of HCV infection in blood donors who are HCV Ab negative. METHODS AND RESULTS One hundred eighty-six volunteer blood donors who tested negative for HCV Ab were examined for HCV-c-Ag. Seven cases out of these 186 cases were HCV-c-Ag positive (4%). HCV RNA detection (PCR technique) was done to 30 cases (seven cases who test positive for HCV-c-Ag and 23 cases who test negative). Six out of the seven cases who were HCV-c-Ag positive (86%) were HCV RNA positive. Twenty-two cases out of the 23 cases who were HCV-c-Ag negative (96%) were HCV RNA negative. CONCLUSION HCV-c-Ag detection is an efficient method for diagnosis of HCV infection during screening of blood donors with high specificity (95.6%) and high negative predictive value (95.6%).
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Chen WM, Lee CY, Hsu NT, Huang WC, Chen MY, Huang TJ, Lu SN. Feasibility of anti-HCV reflex HCV Ag screening strategy in an HCV endemic community. J Formos Med Assoc 2020; 120:1237-1241. [PMID: 33008696 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfma.2020.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE The HCV core antigen (HCV Ag) assay displays high sensitivity and strong correlation with HCV RNA. However, the feasibility of anti-HCV reflex HCV Ag screening in a community-wide setting is rarely discussed. METHODS We performed a two-phase community-based hepatitis C screen in an HCV-prone area of central Taiwan. During the training phase, all participants were test for anti-HCV, HCV Ag and HCV RNA to validate sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of HCV Ag. During the validation phase, an anti-HCV reflex HCV Ag screen was conducted based on the results of training phase. Outcomes of the study were presented as positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV). RESULTS Of 935 training phase participants, the rate of positive anti-HCV and HCV Ag were 175 (18.7%) and 78 (8.3%), respectively. Test sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of HCV Ag were 97.1%, 98.6%, and 97.8%, respectively. During validation phase, only anti-HCV-positive serum samples were tested for HCV Ag. Of 1932 participant, 285 (14.8%) were anti-HCV-positive. 133 (46.7%) of the 285 anti-HCV-positive samples were HCV Ag-positive. PPV and NPV were 98.4% and 99.3%, respectively. Across the entire participant sample, a significant linear correlation between HCV Ag and HCV RNA concentration was noted (r2 = 0.93, p-value<0.001) following log-log transformation. CONCLUSION Anti-HCV reflex HCV Ag screening is a feasible strategy for aiding HCV-prone communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Ming Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan; Department of Health and Nutrition, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan; School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Yi Lee
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan
| | - Nien-Tzu Hsu
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Center of Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Cheng Huang
- Department of Geriatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Yen Chen
- Department of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Chiayi, Taiwan
| | - Tung-Jung Huang
- Department of Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Yunlin, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Nan Lu
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan; Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Center of Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
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8
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Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is associated with increased mortality and morbidity in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The early detection and treatment of Hepatitis C associated with kidney disease is paramount to preventing the progressive loss of kidney function. HCV treatment until the advent of direct acting anti-viral agents (DAAs) was limited to interferon and ribavirin. Interferon and ribavirin treatment resulted in only modest success but with frequent adverse events and poor tolerability. Furthermore, interferon and ribavirin could not be used in certain patient populations including those with advanced CKD, were on dialysis, or those who have received a kidney transplant. DAAs have now made treatment possible in these sub-groups with a sustained viral response (SVR) of 90-100% and minimal side effects. DAAs have helped increase transplant rates by allowing for the use of HCV positive kidneys in recipients who are HCV negative. Although the choice of DAAs should be carefully considered and based on patient characteristics, concomitant medications, and HCV genotype.
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9
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Liu M, Chen HY, Luo L, Wang Y, Zhang D, Song N, Wang FB, Li Q, Zhang XL, Pan Q. Neutralization of IL-10 produced by B cells promotes protective immunity during persistent HCV infection in humanized mice. Eur J Immunol 2020; 50:1350-1361. [PMID: 32339264 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201948488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Revised: 03/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Chronic HCV infection can lead to cirrhosis and is associated with increased mortality. Interleukin (IL)-10-producing B cells (B10 cells) are regulatory cells that suppress cellular immune responses. Here, we aimed to determine whether HCV induces B10 cells and assess the roles of the B10 cells during HCV infection. HCV-induced B10 cells were enriched in CD19hi and CD1dhi CD5+ cell populations. HCV predominantly triggered the TLR2-MyD88-NF-κB and AP-1 signaling pathways to drive IL-10 production by B cells. In a humanized murine model of persistent HCV infection, to neutralize IL-10 produced by B10 cells, mice were treated with pcCD19scFv-IL-10R, which contains the genes coding the anti-CD19 single-chain variable fragment (CD19scFv) and the extracellular domain of IL-10 receptor alpha chain (sIL-10Ra). This treatment resulted in significant reduction of B10 cells in spleen and liver, increase of cytotoxic CD8+ T-cell responses against HCV, and low viral loads in infected humanized mice. Our results indicate that targeting B10 cells via neutralization of IL-10 may offer a novel strategy to enhance anti-HCV immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Liu
- Department of Immunology, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Virology and Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Han-Yu Chen
- Department of Immunology, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Virology and Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Jingzhou Central Hospital, Jingzhou, Hubei Province, China
| | - Liang Luo
- Department of Immunology, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Virology and Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yaping Wang
- Department of Immunology, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Virology and Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Dongli Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Virology and Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Neng Song
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese & Western Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Fu-Bing Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qiao Li
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Xiao-Lian Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Virology and Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Qin Pan
- Department of Immunology, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Virology and Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China
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10
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Pérez-García A, Aguinaga A, Navascués A, Castilla J, Ezpeleta C. Hepatitis C core antigen: Diagnosis and monitoring of patients infected with hepatitis C virus. Int J Infect Dis 2019; 89:131-136. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2019.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 09/21/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
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11
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Popping S, Nichols B, Rijnders B, van Kampen J, Verbon A, Boucher C, van de Vijver D. Targeted HCV core antigen monitoring among HIV-positive men who have sex with men is cost-saving. J Virus Erad 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/s2055-6640(20)30031-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
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12
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Developments in the HCV Screening Technologies Based on the Detection of Antigens and Antibodies. SENSORS 2019; 19:s19194257. [PMID: 31575036 PMCID: PMC6806196 DOI: 10.3390/s19194257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) accounts for 15%-20% of cases of acute infection, and chronic HCV infection is developed in about 50%-80% of HCV patients. Unfortunately, due to the lack of proper medical care, difficulty in screening for HCV infection, and lack of awareness resulted in chronic HCV infection in 71 million people on a global scale, and about 399,000 deaths in 2016. It is crucial to recognize that the effective use of antiviral medicines can cure more than 95% of HCV infected people. The Global Health Sector Strategy (GHSS) aim is to reduce the new HCV infections and the HCV associated mortality by 90% and 65%, respectively. Therefore, the methods that are simple, yet powerful enough to detect HCV infections with high sensitivity, specificity, and a shorter window period are crucial to restrain the global burden of HCV healthcare. This article focuses on the technologies used for the detection of HCV in clinical specimens.
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13
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Hu KQ, Cui W, Rouster SD, Sherman KE. Hepatitis C virus antigens enzyme immunoassay for one-step diagnosis of hepatitis C virus coinfection in human immunodeficiency virus infected individuals. World J Hepatol 2019; 11:442-449. [PMID: 31183004 PMCID: PMC6547293 DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v11.i5.442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current diagnosis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection requires two sequential steps: testing for anti-HCV followed by HCV RNA PCR to confirm viremia. We have developed a highly sensitive and specific HCV-antigens enzyme immunoassay (HCV-Ags EIA) for one-step diagnosis of viremic HCV infection.
AIM To assess the clinical application of the HCV-Ags EIA in one-step diagnosis of viremic HCV infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-coinfected individuals.
METHODS The study blindly tested HCV-Ags EIA for its performance in one-step diagnosing viremic HCV infection in 147 sera: 10 without HCV or HIV infection; 54 with viremic HCV monoinfection; 38 with viremic HCV/HIV coinfection; and 45 with viremic HCV and non-viremic HIV coinfection.
RESULTS Upon decoding, it was 100% accordance of HCV-Ags EIA to HCV infection status by HCV RNA PCR test. In five sera with HCV infection, HCV RNA was as low as 50-59 IU/mL, and four out of five tested positive for HCV-Ags EIA. Likewise, it was also 100% accordance of HCV-Ags EIA to HCV infection status by HCV RNA PCR in 83 sera with HCV and HIV coinfection, regardless if HIV infection was active or not.
CONCLUSION The modified HCV-Ags EIA has a lower detection limit equivalent to serum HCV RNA levels of approximately 100 IU/mL. It is highly sensitive and specific in the setting of HIV coinfection, regardless of HIV infection status and CD4 count. These data support the clinical application of the HCV-Ags EIA in one-step diagnosis of HCV infection in HIV-infected individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke-Qin Hu
- Division of GI/Hepatology, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Orange, CA 92868, United States
| | - Wei Cui
- Division of GI/Hepatology, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Orange, CA 92868, United States
| | - Susan D Rouster
- Division of Digestive Diseases, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, United States
| | - Kenneth E Sherman
- Division of Digestive Diseases, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, United States
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14
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Negash AA, Olson RM, Griffin S, Gale M. Modulation of calcium signaling pathway by hepatitis C virus core protein stimulates NLRP3 inflammasome activation. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1007593. [PMID: 30811485 PMCID: PMC6392285 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains a major cause of hepatic inflammation and liver disease. HCV triggers NLRP3 inflammasome activation and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) production from hepatic macrophages, or Kupffer cells, to drive the hepatic inflammatory response. Here we examined HCV activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome signaling cascade in primary human monocyte derived macrophages and THP-1 cell models of hepatic macrophages to define the HCV-specific agonist and cellular processes of inflammasome activation. We identified the HCV core protein as a virion-specific factor of inflammasome activation. The core protein was both necessary and sufficient for IL-1β production from macrophages exposed to HCV or soluble core protein alone. NLRP3 inflammasome activation by the HCV core protein required calcium mobilization linked with phospholipase-C activation. Our findings reveal a molecular basis of hepatic inflammasome activation and IL-1β release triggered by HCV core protein. This study deciphers the molecular mechanism of Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-induced hepatic inflammation. HCV triggers NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL-1β release from hepatic macrophages, thus driving liver inflammation. Using biochemical, virological, and genetic approaches we identified the HCV core protein as the specific viral stimulus that triggers intracellular calcium signaling linked with phospholipase-C activation to drive NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL-1β release in macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amina A. Negash
- Center for Innate Immunity and Immune Disease, Department of Immunology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Rebecca M. Olson
- Center for Innate Immunity and Immune Disease, Department of Immunology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Stephen Griffin
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, St James’ University Hospital, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Gale
- Center for Innate Immunity and Immune Disease, Department of Immunology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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15
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KDIGO 2018 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Prevention, Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of Hepatitis C in Chronic Kidney Disease. Kidney Int Suppl (2011) 2018; 8:91-165. [PMID: 30675443 PMCID: PMC6336217 DOI: 10.1016/j.kisu.2018.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
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16
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Chang C, Hung CH, Wang JH, Lu SN. Hepatitis C core antigen highly correlated to HCV RNA. Kaohsiung J Med Sci 2018; 34:684-688. [PMID: 30527202 DOI: 10.1016/j.kjms.2018.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2018] [Revised: 07/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus core antigen (HCV-Ag) immunoassay has been proposed as a more cost and time efficient one-step alternative to the current two-step screening and diagnostic process. This study investigates the correlation between the HCV-Ag immunoassay and the current gold standard of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecular assay. Stored sera of 221 consecutive treatment-naive patients tested anti-HCV positive were selected to undergo both HCV-Ag immunoassay and HCV RNA molecular assay. Active infection status and HCV genotype were determined using both assays, and correlation was calculated using a logarithmic scale. Among 221 anti-HCV-positive sera, 197 were positive for both HCV Ag (≥3 fmol/L) and HCV RNA (>15 IU/mL), 22 were negative for both tests, while 2 were positive to HCV RNA only. The sensitivity and specificity for HCV Ag in predicting HCV RNA were 99% and 100%, respectively. Out of 199 patients (90%) tested positive for HCV viremia, 107 (56%) were of genotype 1, 77 (38.7%) of genotype 2 and 15 of other genotypes. Analysis of 221 anti-HCV-positive patient sera found a strong positive correlation between HCV RNA and HCV-Ag (r = 0.960, p < 0.001). Genotype 1 (log [HCV RNA] = 0.988 x log [HCV-Ag] + 2.768), with correlation coefficient 0.945, exhibited a stronger correlation than genotype 2 (log [HCV RNA] = 0.859 x log [HCV-Ag] + 2.859; r = 0.862). Given the strong positive correlation between HCV-Ag immunoassay and HCV RNA molecular assay in genotyping affected individuals, we propose that HCV-Ag immunoassay is a more cost and time efficient alternative to the current two-step diagnostic process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Chang
- Department of Metro South Health, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queensland, Australia
| | - Chao-Hung Hung
- Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan; School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Jing-Houng Wang
- Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Nan Lu
- Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan; School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
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Hu KQ, Cui W. Persistence of Circulating Hepatitis C Virus Antigens-Specific Immune Complexes in Patients with Resolved HCV Infection. Dig Dis Sci 2018. [PMID: 29516328 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-018-4968-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Our recent study indicated the possible presence of detectable hepatitis C virus antigens (HCV-Ags) after denaturation of sera with resolved HCV (R-HCV) infection. The present study determined and characterized persistent HCV-Ags-specific immune complexes (ICs) in these patients. METHODS Sixty-eight sera with R-HCV and 34 with viremic HCV (V-HCV) infection were tested for free and IC-bound HCV-Ags using HCV-Ags enzyme immunoassay (EIA), the presence of HCV-Ags-specific ICs by immunoprecipitation and Western blot (IP-WB), HCV ICs containing HCV virions using IP and HCV RNA RT-PCR, and correlation of HCV ICs with clinical presentation in these patients. RESULTS Using HCV-Ags EIA, we found 57.4% of sera with R-HCV infection were tested positive for bound, but not free HCV-Ags. Using pooled or individual anti-HCV E1/E2, cAg, NS3, NS4b, and/or NS5a to precipitate HCV-specific-Ags, we confirmed persistent HCV-Ags ICs specific to various HCV structural and non-structural proteins not only in V-HCV infection, but also in R-HCV infection. Using IP and HCV RNA PCR, we then confirmed the presence of HCV virions within circulating ICs in V-HCV, but not in R-HCV sera. Multivariable analysis indicated significant and independent associations of persistent circulating HCV-Ags-specific ICs with both age and the presence of cirrhosis in patients with R-HCV infection. CONCLUSIONS Various HCV-Ag-specific ICs, but not virions, persist in 57.4% of patients who had spontaneous or treatment-induced HCV clearance for 6 months to 20 years. These findings enriched our knowledge on HCV pathogenesis and support further study on its long-term clinical relevance, such as extrahepatic manifestation, transfusion medicine, and hepatocarcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke-Qin Hu
- Division of GI/Hepatology, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, 101 The City Drive, Building 56, Ste. 237, Orange, CA, 92868, USA.
| | - Wei Cui
- Division of GI/Hepatology, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, 101 The City Drive, Building 56, Ste. 237, Orange, CA, 92868, USA
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18
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Arboledas JCA, Guerrero IP, Rodríguez MJB, Martos ET, Pérez AB, León CC, Sierra Sánchez JF, Prieto MDL, Porcuna NC, Mochón MDO, Macías J, de la Iglesia Salgado A, Granger JR, Fernández MD, Lozano IG, Ramírez ER, Rivero A, Del Carmen Lozano Domínguez M, Viciana I, Montemayor JCG, García FG. Hepatitis C virus core antigen in the management of patients treated with new direct-acting antivirals. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2017; 89:29-34. [PMID: 28669680 DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2017.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Revised: 06/09/2017] [Accepted: 06/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
We evaluated the utility of Architect core antigen assay® Abbott Diagnostics (HCVAg) for monitoring patients with HCV infection and compared to HCV-RNA quantification (Cobas Ampliprep TaqMan-Roche Diagnostics). Samples from 262 patients were studied. Mean baseline HCV RNA and HCVAg levels were similar for responders (6.2 log IU/mL and 3.4 log fmol/L) and non-responders (6.1 log IU/mL and 3.2 log fmol/L), respectively. Only 10 patients failed to achieve SVR12 and all were detected by both assays. To evaluate HCVAg quantification as a tool for the detection of failure to DAAs, we performed a retrospective study of 132 non-responder patients. Mean HCV RNA and HCVAg levels at the time of detection of therapeutic failure were 5.88±0.97 log IU/mL and 3.19±0.79 log fmol/L, respectively. HCVAg (>3 fmol/L) was detected in 130/132 patients (98.5%). HCVAg assay was useful for patient selection and for evaluating virological response to DAAs in the real world.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ana Belén Pérez
- Microbiology Service, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio, Granada. Insituto de Investigación Biosanitario Ibs.Granada
| | | | | | | | - Natalia Chueca Porcuna
- Microbiology Service, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio, Granada. Insituto de Investigación Biosanitario Ibs.Granada
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Federico García García
- Microbiology Service, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio, Granada. Insituto de Investigación Biosanitario Ibs.Granada
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