IMMUNOASSAY FOR NON-A NON-B HEPATITIS

摘要

An assay for antigens of hepatitis C virus utilizes a synthetic peptide comprising the first 38 amino acids of the capsid region containing at least two immunodominant epitopes. The assay detects antibodies in the sera of patients infected with the Non-A Non-B hepatitis virus. Of particular efficacy is a competitive inhibition assay, which incorporates in the liquid phase an inhibitor consisting of a peptide containing only one of the immunodominant capsid epitopes, which is capable of inhibiting binding of antibodies to all target epitopes present on the solid substrate.