Clinical use of hepatitis C virus tests for diagnosis and monitoring during therapy.

This article reviewed various methods used for the diagnosis and monitoring of HCV infection and discusses potential clinical applications. Substantial improvements have recently been made in assay technology. Moreover, the role of molecular testing in the clinical setting of hepatitis C is becoming better defined. The major challenge facing clinical laboratories is the further refinement, implementation, and standardization of optimized molecular tests, so that reliable data may be made available to clinicians. In turn, clinicians must understand the limitations of each methodology, including the variability of testing that may occur among different laboratories. As more experience is gathered, molecular testing will probably provide important data regarding the most effective use of current and future therapies for individual patients to achieve maximum benefit in the management of hepatitis C.