Patent ID: 7316905

Claim:
A method for determining the presence of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core antigen and anti-HCV core antibodies in a sample, at the same time, in the same vessel, using (1) antibodies for the detection of HCV core antigen and (2) at least one peptide for the detection of core antibodies wherein at least one peptide lacks epitopes recognized by said antibodies for detection of HCV core antigen, comprising the steps of: (a) contacting the sample (1) with an antibody or antibodies for detection of HCV core antigen and (2) with the at least one peptide for detection of the anti-HCV core antibodies, and (b) detecting (1) the HCV core antigen by an antibody or antibodies for detection of the HCV core antigen, and (2) the anti-HCV core antibodies; wherein said antibodies for detection of HCV core antigen are selected from antibodies recognizing and binding to a region from position 100 to 130 or from position 41 to 50 of HCV core antigen, wherein said sample is contacted with said antibodies for detection of HCV core antigen and said at least one peptide in the presence of one or more detergents with one or more alkyl chains having 12 to 16 carbon and one or more tertiary or quaternary amines, or one or more non-ionic surfactants with an HLB value of 12 to 14 and a concentration of 0.5% or greater.