Automated Test for Hepatitis C Virus

A new sensitive, automated test detects the presence of antibodies to the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in human serum or plasma.

The test, a microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA), is available on the AxSym immunoassay instrument system of Abbott Laboratories (Abbott Park, IL, USA) and provides results within 23 minutes. The AxSym system can process 80-120 tests per hour. The presence of antibodies to HCV indicates that a patient may have been infected with HCV in the past or have an ongoing infection.

Abbott has also introduced two fully automated tests for the hepatitis A virus on the AxSym system. In addition, the company has submitted an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its AxSym hepatitis B tests, currently available outside the United States.

Often called the "silent epidemic,” HCV infects many individuals who have no signs or symptoms of the disease until chronic infection or chronic liver disease has developed. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine to prevent HCV. The new test is designed to provide laboratories with a quick and efficient test for HCV.

"Not only is the AxSym anti-HCV test sensitive and specific, but also it has been designed and developed to detect the known genotypes of HCV,” said William E. Brown, Ph.D., vice president, diagnostic assays and systems development, Abbott.




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