Patent ID: 7166426
Filing Date: 2007-01-23
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of detecting hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in a biological sample, said method comprising: (a) providing an immunoassay solid support comprising HCV antigens bound thereto, wherein the HCV antigens consist of one or more HCV NS3/4a antigens wherein at least one of the NS3/4a antigens comprises a conformational epitope and comprises amino acids 2–686 of SEQ IDNO:2; (b) combining a biological sample with said solid support under conditions which allow HCV antibodies, when present in the biological sample, to bind to said one or more NS3/4a antigens; (c) adding to the solid support from step (b) under complex-forming conditions a detectably labeled HCV multiple epitope fusion antigen (MEFA), wherein said labeled MEFA comprises at least one epitope from the HCV NS3/4a region and a consensus sequence from the E2 hypervariable region spanning amino acids 390–410 having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:7, wherein said MEFA binds said bound HCV antibody; (d) detecting complexes formed between said HCV antibody and said NS3/4a antigen and said MEFA, if any, as an indication of HCV infection in the biological sample.