Table 2.

Laboratory evaluation of hepatitis C.

Test	Sensitivity	Disadvantage	Clinical utility	Cost*
HCV-ELISA	95%	Window period of 8 to 14 weeks	Screening test Easy to do	$18.00
		Does not distinguish between past and current infection	Low variability Ease of automation
HCV-RIBA	95%	Technically demanding Does not distinguish between past and current infection	Use to confirm positive ELISA	$124.88
HCV-PCR qualitative	96% to 100% Can detect as few as 135 viral copies/mL	Technically demanding	Confirmatory test Positive as early as several days after inoculation	$136.10

*Cost at Marshfield Clinic Laboratories.

HCV-ELISA, hepatitis C virus-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; HCV-RIBA, hepatitis C virus-recombinant immunoblot; HCV-PCR, hepatitis C virus-polymerase chain reaction.