CORRELATION OF 1ST AND 2ND GENERATION TESTS FOR THE DETECTION OF ANTI-HCV IN BLOOD-DONORS

174 blood samples with known anti-HCV status using a first generation EIA kit (Abbott/Ortho EIA Anti-HCV(R)) were submitted to a second generation test (UBI-HCV EIA(R)). Among the samples, 121 were negative and 53 repeatdly positive with the first generation test. All 121 negative samples were confirmed negative with the second generation test, while 22 (41,5%) of the 53 initially positive samples were reactive with the second generation test, stressing its better specificity. 28 samples were randomly choosen among the 53 positive and were submitted to the RIBA confirmatory test. 10 showed EIA positive second generation test and 18 EIA negative. Of the 10 positive, 8 were confirmed positive using the RIBA confirmatory test (80%) and 16 of the negative samples were confirmed negative with the RIBA. The 4 remaining were indetermined, showing a high correlation between the second generation EIA test and the RIBA (24/28 or 86%). There was a positive correlation between the presence of c22-3 and c33c antigens and the positive samples, showing the importance of these new peptides.