Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a viral infection of the liver affecting 170 million people around the world. Commercially available tests for HCV today are based on enzyme immunosorbent assay (EIA) for detection of HCV-Ab. Regarding the sophisticated equipments required for diagnosis of HCV, this this work targeted offering a dependable field serological test that can be used in rural areas as preliminary screening test for HCV patients. Hundred and fifty serum samples were collected from Jazan clinics in Saudi Arabia for HCV patients and 50 serum samples were collected from healthy volunteers. All samples were tested for HCV-Ab using slides coated with 1.5% agarose and saturated with HCV capside synthetic peptide (BIORAD) (10%). Fifty microliter of each sample were applied onto spot of HCV-Ag saturated agarose and incubated in humidified incubator for 90 min at 37 degrees C. After which the slides were wash. Mouse antihuman IgG labeled conjugate was added to the slides and incubated for 30 min at 37 degrees C. After washing the slides, 50 mu l substrate (BIORAD) were added and incubated for 30 min at room temperature then washed out. The slides were examined by naked eye and by light microscope against controls. The obtained results were compared with standard Monolisa HCV Ag-Ab Ultra assay and both results were matched. The results proved that agarose slide EIA have accuracy exceeding > 99%. So, agarose slide EIA can be suggested for use in preliminary diagnosis of HCV in the field clinics of rural areas or even in screening of blood donors in emergence cases.