HEPATITIS-C VIRUS - THE MAJOR CAUSATIVE AGENT OF VIRAL NON-A, NON-B HEPATITIS

A 'blind' recombinant immunoscreening approach, of general application to studies of infectious diseases, was used to clone and identify the genome of the previouly uncharacterized non-A, non-B hepatitis (NANB) virus. This agent is a positive-stranded RNA virus that appears to be distantly related to the flaviviridae family. A recombinant viral antigen (C100-3) was used to develop a capature assay for circulation antibody. Data obtained using this assay indicate that this agent, termed the hepatitis C virus (HCV), is the major cause of post-transfusion, community-acquired and cryptogenic, NANB. Anti-C100-3 antibody appears to be directed towards dominant, non-structural viral epitopes. It is a non-neutralisting antibody that develops generally late in infection and is a particularly good marker of chronic, persistent viraemia. Many asymptomatic but infectious blood donors can now be detected using the antibody assay. HCV isassociated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma and possibly, other liver diseases. © 1990 The British Council 1990.