Zameer M, Shazad F, Saeed M, Aziz S, Nazish, Hussain S.
Comparison Between Elisa And ICT Techniques For The Detection Of Anti HCV Antibody Among Blood Donors.
Biomedica Jan ;32(4):281-4.

Background and Objective: The most important marker for HCV infection is the detection of anti HCV antibodies. Although HCV detection by immunochromatography (ICT) method is one of the most popular method but enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) and nucleic acid testing methods are considered as more reliable. This is a cross sectional study. The aim of this study is to compare the performance of ICT and Elisa techniques for the detection of anti HCV antibody among blood donors in Children hospital Lahore. Methods: Blood samples from 130 male blood donors were randomly collected according to WHO criteria of donor selection at blood bank of children hospital Lahore. Blood samples were taken from 1st September 2015 to 28 November 2015. All samples were subjected for the detection of HCV by ICT and ELISA. Results: 100 samples of blood donors showing negative results for HCV were retested with ELISA. Out of these 100 samples only 1 (1%) sample showed positive results for HCV with ELISA. Similarly, 30 blood donor sample showing positive results by ICT technique were also analysed by ELISA and only 1 sample (3.3%) showed negative results with ELISA technique. By using ELISA technique as gold standard for HCV infection our results showed 99% specificity and 96.66% sensitivity of ICT technique. Conclusion: ICT results for blood donor screening are acceptable just like ELISA due to its comparable sensitivity and specificity with ELISA. It can be used in blood banks with limited facilities because it is rapid and cost effective.

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