Performance of HCV Antigen Testing for the Diagnosis and Monitoring of Antiviral Treatment

Active hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is based on the detection of HCV RNA that is effective but presents high cost and the need to hire trained personnel. A systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of HCV antigen (HCV Ag) testing to identify HCV cases and to monitor antiviral treatment including direct-acting antiviral treatment.

According to the study findings, HCV Ag testing could be useful to identify HCV active cases in low-resource areas. For antiviral treatment, HCV Ag testing will be useful at the end of treatment.

The study results are published in BioMed Research International and can be accessed here.