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Review
Antibody- and genome-based identification of recent HCV infection
Aufra C Araujo
Corresponding author name: Aufra C Araujo
Corresponding author e-mail: AAraujo@cdc.gov
Citation: Antiviral Therapy 2012; 17:1459-1464
doi: 10.3851/IMP2464
Date published online: 07 December 2012
Abstract
The diagnosis of recent HCV infection remains challenging due to the absence of serological markers specific to the early phase of infection. Clinical follow-up and seroconversion to anti-HCV immunoglobulin (Ig)G, detection of viral RNA and changes in levels of blood biomarkers associated with liver pathology provide circumstantial evidence of recent HCV infection. Studies based on anti-HCV IgG avidity, antigen-specific antibody profiling, HCV viral load fluctuations and signature changes in the HCV genome show potential to discriminate recent from persistent HCV infection. These markers require further evaluation and would necessitate use of samples from infected people originating from broad clinical and epidemiological contexts.