Evaluating the Accuracy of Hepatitis C Virus Rapid Test Kits versus Polymerase Chain Reaction in Screening Prospective Blood Donors in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Rapid Diagnostic Tests can provide a good alternative for screening for hepatitis C virus in resource-poor settings. Rapid diagnostic test kits are cheaper, quicker, and require less skill and instrumentation. Method: A cross-sectional study design was used for this study.

Materials and Methods: 200 potential blood donors were recruited from Rivers State University Teaching Hospitals, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Rukpoku, Ozuoba, and Iriebe Model Primary Health Care Centres in Port Harcourt. Their samples were collected and serologically tested using four different rapid diagnostic test kits for the hepatitis C virus. One hundred and fifty (150) samples had discrepant results with the four different rapid diagnostic tests (ROSTEC, Skytec, Tell, and LabACON), and 50 were negative with the four different rapid diagnostic test kits, and they served as control. The 150 samples that showed discrepant results were sent for confirmation using a polymerase chain reaction. The study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of hepatitis c virus rapid test kits versus polymerase chain reaction (real-time polymerase chain reaction) in screening potential blood donors in rivers state.

Results: The comparison of performance characteristics of rapid diagnostic kits used for the screening of hepatitis C among prospective blood donors shows that the different kits used had different sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. The Skytech rapid diagnostic kit had a sensitivity of 57%, specificity of 50%, and accuracy of 53%. There was a positive predictive value of 36 and a negative predictive value of 71. The Rostec rapid diagnostic kit had a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 73%, 84%, and 77%, respectively, with a positive and negative predictive value of 35 and 72. The Tell rapid diagnostic kit had a sensitivity of 92%, a specificity and accuracy of 79% and 71%. There was a positive predictive value of 75 and a negative predictive value of 81. The Lab Acon rapid diagnostic kit had a sensitivity of 88%, a specificity of 61%, and an accuracy of 93%. The Lab Acon rapid diagnostic kit had a positive predictive value of 70 and a negative predictive value of 78. The Tell rapid diagnostic kit had the highest sensitivity among the four kits, with the Skytech rapid diagnostic test kit having the lowest sensitivity. The specificity for the four different kits was Rostec> Tell > Lab Acon > Skytec.

Conclusion: The Rostec diagnostic test kit had the highest specificity but the third lowest specificity. The most accurate diagnostic test kit among the four in the study was the Lab Acon diagnostic test kit, and the least was the Skytech rapid diagnostic test kit. Therefore, rapid diagnostic test kits are reliable and feasible for screening hepatitis C virus in resource-poor settings.