Astel Hepatitis C Test Kit

Astel HCV^®

Rapid Test for Hepatitis C Virus

 

Hepatitis C is an infection of the liver caused by the Hepatitis C virus (HCV). The infection can cause inflammation of the liver that is often asymptomatic, but ensuing chronic hepatitis can result later in scarring of the liver and liver cancer.

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread by blood-to-blood contact with an infected person's blood. The symptoms can be medically managed, and a proportion of patients can be cleared of the virus by a long course of anti-viral medicines. Although modification of diet and early medical intervention are helpful, people with HCV infection often experience mild symptoms, and consequently do not seek treatment.

Human Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is a small, enveloped, single-stranded RNA virus. It is a member of the family Flaviviridae. HCV is the major cause of the disease formerly known as non-A, non-B post transfusion hepatitis.

Conventional methods failed to isolate the virus in cell culture or visualize it by electron microscope. Cloning the viral genome made it possible to develop serologic assays that use recombinant antigens (1, 2).

Astel HCV® is a rapid test for the detection of antibodies to human Hepatitis C Virus in the blood, serum or plasma of infected individuals.

The assay is a lateral immunochromatographic test. It is highly specific and sensitive.