A novel semi-automated paramagnetic microparticle based enzyme immunoassay for hepatitis C virus: its application to serologic testing.

A new rapid serologic enzyme immunoassay for antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV) is described. The assay combines synthetic peptide and recombinant antigens representing putative structural and non structural HCV gene products with paramagnetic microparticle assay (MP assay) technology. Assay readout is based upon an enzymatically generated fluorescent product which is quantified with a novel semi-automated washer/reader instrument system. Assay sensitivity and specificity was determined to be greater than the first generation HCV C-100 EIA using a non-A, non-B hepatitis disease panel, an HCV performance panel, an HCV seroconversion panel, dilutions of HCV reactive sera, and random volunteer blood donor specimens.