Detection of low amounts of HCV-RNA in the serum of sustained virological responders after antiviral therapy

Aims: As new, more sensitive methods for the detection and quantification of the hepatitis C virus are becoming available, a careful clinical interpretation of the results is needed. Methods: In order to evaluate a new commercial HCV quantification assay with a lower detection limit (Abbott m2000 real-time PCR system), we performed serial logarithmic dilutions of serum from genotypes 1–6 starting from a 106 virus load. Consequently we tested sera of 50 patients with chronic hepatitis C infection after treatment with PEG-IFNa + Ribavirin between 2001 and 2004. All patients had a Sustained Virological Response (HC…