Hepatitis C Virus or HCV is an enveloped RNA virus recently classified in the family of Flaviviridae.
The genome encodes for structural components, a nucleocapsid protein and two envelope glycoproteins, and functional constituents involved in the virus replication and protein processing. The nucleocapsid-encoding region seems to be the most conservative among the isolates obtained all over the world.
THCV accounts for about 95% of hepatitis infections in recipients of blood transfusion and 50% of cases of sporadic NANB hepatitis. HCV commonly gives origin to asymptomatic hepatitis and chronicity develops in a high number of cases, sometime evolving in severe forms of illness, as hepato-carcinoma.
The determination of antibody to HCV has become mandatory in the screening of blood units to prevent post-transfusion hepatitis. It is also currently used to follow-up risk individuals and patients under treatment with interferon.
Conformation of any positive result is strongly recommended in the clinical laboratory practice before considering the patient truly positive for anti HCV antibodies.