Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the predominant cause of nonA-nonB and post transfusion hepatitis. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of third generation Recombinant Immunoblot Assay (RIBA-3) especially structural and non-structural bands compared with Reverse Transcripatase Polymerase Chain Reactions (RT-PCR) for the diagnosis of hepatitis C infection.

Materials and Methods: Sera of 80 patients with ELIAS-3 positive were analyzed by RIBA-3 and RT-PCR.

Results: Forty-eight out of 80 patients were positive in RIBA-3. Of them 92% was RT-PCR positive and only 4 patients were RN negative. Among 20 samples with 4 bands, 18 (90%) were RNA positive. Among the 18, 3-bands positive, 16(88%) were RNA positive, whereas all of 11(100%) of RIBA-3 positive with anti-capsid and anti-NS3 reactivity are RNA positive. Among the RIBA-3 indeterminate cases (13 patients), HCV-RNA was positive only in 31 % (4 patients). Sera of these four patients were reactive with the core (C22) region in RIBA-3. All samples reacted to NS-4 regions were RT-PCR negative. So samples with indeterminate results in RIBA-3 should be evaluated by RT-PCR for HCV RNA. All samples without any reaction in RIBA-3 were RT-PCR negative.

Conclusion: There were not absolute correlations between the results of RIBA-3 and PCR but all of RIBA-3 positvie with anti-capsid and anti-NS3 reactivity were PCR positive, but other profiles were associated with HCV viremia in about 88%-90% of cases.

Background: As a worldwide problem, hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection similar to HIV and vaccine studies on HCV is among the hottest research topics in the field. Such a vaccine should elicit strong humeral and cellular responses against HCV antigens (Ags). The major aim of the present study was to compare and optimize the responses against HCV core protein (HCVcp) immunization formulated in novel human compatible adjuvants.

Materials and Methods: BALB/c mice were immunized by HCVcp, purified in native conditions and in different adjuvant formulation in separate following groups: Ag+CpG, Ag+M720 (Montanide ISA 720), Ag+F127 (Pluronic acid) and cocktails of Ag+F127+CpG and Ag+M720+CpG. ELISA-based assays were used to analyze IgG, cytokine and CTL responses.

Results: The M720 (+CpG) immunized mice developed the highest HCVcp-specific titrations of total IgG,IgG1, 2a, 2b, and that of IFN-γ and IL-4 cytokines. HCVcp-specific-CTLs against relevant MHC class I peptides were detected only for Ag+M720+CpG, Ag+M720, and Ag+CpG groups, could be blocked by antimouse-CD8 antibodies and were stable for one year post-immunization.

Conclusions: The M720 formulation of HCVcp (with a synergistic effect by inclusion of CpG) induces equally strong Th1/Th2 responses and stable CTLs.