ABSTRACT
In 1989 the hepatitis C virus was cloned, some 20 years after the fust suggestion that hepatitis C virus(es) (HCV) existed. Since that time there has been rapid development of serological tests for detection of antibody to HCV and molecular tests for detection, quantitation, and characterization of HCV RNA. The development and performance characteristics of these test methods are reviewed and their implications for diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring patients on therapy are discussed.
