الفهرس 
Introduction and aim of the workOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major health problem in Egypt where the seroprevalence is 1020 folds higher than in the United States and Europe. Infection with HCV results in viral persistence which posses a higher risk of infection to individuals who receive blood or blood products from HCV infected donors. All these viral proteins are antigenic and elicit antibodies, Direct detection of HCV by conventional techniques as available cell cultures or experimental animals was deemed difficult. So far diagnosis of HCV infection has relied for exposure to this viral agent, or detection of viral RNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). However in daily laboratory routine, reliable diagnosis of HCV infection is not always possible by sole use of an HCV enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Since it become evident that a number of patients by this assay produces false negative results. Also antibody tests are unable to identify patients in the early stage of HCV infection in the diagnostic window period, during which specific antibodies have not yet been produced, but the virus is present in the plasma sometimes in large amount. Our results revealed that out of the studied 60 patients, 10 patients had positive HCV Ab test (16.7%), 26 patients (43%) had positive HCV Ag and 25 patients (42%) had positive HCV PCR. Conclusion: (1) HCV Ab is not sufficient in the diagnosis of HCV infection in LPD due to immunosuppression. (2) HCV Ag is a suitable test when compared to PCR in the immunosuppressed patients as it is rapid, not expensive and easily performed. (3) Our finding of a significant association between HCV infection and LPD had led us to suggest that anti HCV antibodies must be performed routinely in such subjects. (4) Most cases were found to be chronic active hepatitis with immunosuppression followed by chronic active hepatitis then chronic persistent hepatitis and resolving HCV with immune individuals. (5) Recommendation: using of PCR or HCV Ag in the<U+00AC> diagnosis of HCV infection especially in the immunocompromized.