The presence of rheumatoid factor in sera from anti-HCV positive blood donors interferes with the detection of HCV-specific IgM

Donna L. Stevenson; Amanda G. Harris; Keith Neal; William L. Irving

doi:10.1016/S0168-8278(96)80229-7

The presence of rheumatoid factor in sera from anti-HCV positive blood donors interferes with the detection of HCV-specific IgM

Donna L. Stevenson, Amanda G. Harris, Keith Neal, William L. Irving^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

10 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background/Aims: IgM anti-HCV has been reported as a useful marker of disease activity and of likely response to interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Sera from patients with hepatitis C virus infection may contain rheumatoid factor. This study was designed to investigate the possible effect of rheumatoid factor in an IgM anti-HCV assay. Methods: Sera from 75 blood donors with chronic hepatitis C virus infection were tested for the presence of IgM anti-HCV using a core-derived peptide as antigen, before and after removal of IgG. These sera and appropriate control sera were also tested for the presence of rheumatoid factor. Results: Removal of IgG prior to IgM testing resulted in a significant loss of reactivity in the IgM anti-HCV assay in 30/41 sera that were positive in this assay when tested untreated. Seventy per cent of anti-HCV positive sera were also positive for rheumatoid factor. Conclusions: Rheumatoid factor causes significant false positive reactivity in IgM anti-HCV detection assays. The results of assays that do not account for this interference should be viewed with caution.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	621-626
Number of pages	6
Journal	Journal of Hepatology
Volume	25
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-8278(96)80229-7
Publication status	Published - Nov 1996

Bibliographical note

Copyright:
Copyright 2017 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

Chronic hepatitis
Hepatitis C virus
IgM anti-HCV
Rheumatoid factor

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/S0168-8278(96)80229-7

Cite this

@article{b51bc70524e04938b1611606c7dd6c6a,

title = "The presence of rheumatoid factor in sera from anti-HCV positive blood donors interferes with the detection of HCV-specific IgM",

abstract = "Background/Aims: IgM anti-HCV has been reported as a useful marker of disease activity and of likely response to interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Sera from patients with hepatitis C virus infection may contain rheumatoid factor. This study was designed to investigate the possible effect of rheumatoid factor in an IgM anti-HCV assay. Methods: Sera from 75 blood donors with chronic hepatitis C virus infection were tested for the presence of IgM anti-HCV using a core-derived peptide as antigen, before and after removal of IgG. These sera and appropriate control sera were also tested for the presence of rheumatoid factor. Results: Removal of IgG prior to IgM testing resulted in a significant loss of reactivity in the IgM anti-HCV assay in 30/41 sera that were positive in this assay when tested untreated. Seventy per cent of anti-HCV positive sera were also positive for rheumatoid factor. Conclusions: Rheumatoid factor causes significant false positive reactivity in IgM anti-HCV detection assays. The results of assays that do not account for this interference should be viewed with caution.",

keywords = "Chronic hepatitis, Hepatitis C virus, IgM anti-HCV, Rheumatoid factor",

author = "Stevenson, {Donna L.} and Harris, {Amanda G.} and Keith Neal and Irving, {William L.}",

year = "1996",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1016/S0168-8278(96)80229-7",

language = "English",

volume = "25",

pages = "621--626",

journal = "Journal of Hepatology",

issn = "0168-8278",

publisher = "Elsevier",

number = "5",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The presence of rheumatoid factor in sera from anti-HCV positive blood donors interferes with the detection of HCV-specific IgM

AU - Stevenson, Donna L.

AU - Harris, Amanda G.

AU - Neal, Keith

AU - Irving, William L.

PY - 1996/11

Y1 - 1996/11

N2 - Background/Aims: IgM anti-HCV has been reported as a useful marker of disease activity and of likely response to interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Sera from patients with hepatitis C virus infection may contain rheumatoid factor. This study was designed to investigate the possible effect of rheumatoid factor in an IgM anti-HCV assay. Methods: Sera from 75 blood donors with chronic hepatitis C virus infection were tested for the presence of IgM anti-HCV using a core-derived peptide as antigen, before and after removal of IgG. These sera and appropriate control sera were also tested for the presence of rheumatoid factor. Results: Removal of IgG prior to IgM testing resulted in a significant loss of reactivity in the IgM anti-HCV assay in 30/41 sera that were positive in this assay when tested untreated. Seventy per cent of anti-HCV positive sera were also positive for rheumatoid factor. Conclusions: Rheumatoid factor causes significant false positive reactivity in IgM anti-HCV detection assays. The results of assays that do not account for this interference should be viewed with caution.

AB - Background/Aims: IgM anti-HCV has been reported as a useful marker of disease activity and of likely response to interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Sera from patients with hepatitis C virus infection may contain rheumatoid factor. This study was designed to investigate the possible effect of rheumatoid factor in an IgM anti-HCV assay. Methods: Sera from 75 blood donors with chronic hepatitis C virus infection were tested for the presence of IgM anti-HCV using a core-derived peptide as antigen, before and after removal of IgG. These sera and appropriate control sera were also tested for the presence of rheumatoid factor. Results: Removal of IgG prior to IgM testing resulted in a significant loss of reactivity in the IgM anti-HCV assay in 30/41 sera that were positive in this assay when tested untreated. Seventy per cent of anti-HCV positive sera were also positive for rheumatoid factor. Conclusions: Rheumatoid factor causes significant false positive reactivity in IgM anti-HCV detection assays. The results of assays that do not account for this interference should be viewed with caution.

KW - Chronic hepatitis

KW - Hepatitis C virus

KW - IgM anti-HCV

KW - Rheumatoid factor

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0030297484&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/S0168-8278(96)80229-7

DO - 10.1016/S0168-8278(96)80229-7

M3 - Article

C2 - 8938536

AN - SCOPUS:0030297484

VL - 25

SP - 621

EP - 626

JO - Journal of Hepatology

JF - Journal of Hepatology

SN - 0168-8278

IS - 5

ER -

The presence of rheumatoid factor in sera from anti-HCV positive blood donors interferes with the detection of HCV-specific IgM

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this