anti-HCV Core antigen / HCcAg antibody [B2]

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis in human through blood and body fluid transmission. HCV has a positive sense single RNA genome enclosed in the nucleocapsid made of Core Protein (Capsid Protein). The nucleocapsid is covered by an envelope made of lipoproteins (E1 and E2). The 9.6 kb HCV genome has a single open-reading frame, which is to be translated into a single polyprotein. HCV viral proteins are produced after processing the polyprotein. Genes for core protein and envelop proteins are located adjacently at the 5’-end of HCV genome, followed by genes for non-structural proteins including NS2, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5, NS5A and NS5B.