Use of Overlapping Synthetic Peptides to Characterize Samples from Blood Donors with Indeterminate Results to Hepatitis C Virus Core Antigen

Abstract

Testing of blood donor samples indeterminate to the HCV c22-3 antigen for reactivity against individual core peptides can confirm the presence of specific antibody and recognize nonspecific reactivity with certain cross-reacting epitopes. Third generation supplemental tests have reduced such false reactivity, but confirmation of samples with anticore alone is still necessary. Single reactivity to the HCV core antigen is likely to reflect prior exposure to the virus, but rarely active infection, either acute or chronic.