Table 3. Comparison of HCV E2 antigen-aptamer ZE2 assay and assays for HCV RNA quantities or HCV antibody detection.

Characteristic	Healthy individuals (N = 155)	HCV patients (N = 154)	p-Value
Age-yr	41.1±11.2	45.5±13.4	0.85
Male sex-no. (%)	75(80)	76(78)	0.83
Race or ethnic group-no. (%) Asian	155 (100)	154 (100)	1.00
Region-no. (%) Hubei province, China	155 (100)	154 (100)	1.00
Anti-HCV-positive-no. (S/CO)(%)	<1 (0)	>1 (100)	<0.001
HCV RNA –IU/ml (%)	<50 (0)	>500 (100)	<0.001
OD450 (ZE2 binding for HCV)	0.04±0.005	0.13±0.06	<0.05

Cutoff value (CO.) = 0.1x mean OD₄₅₀ of positive samples + mean OD₄₅₀ of negative controls.

Anti-HCV-positive: OD₄₅₀ of sample >CO., or S (Sample)/CO >1, anti-HCV-negative: OD₄₅₀ of sample <CO., or S/CO<1.