Detection and quantitation of hepatitis C virus RNA in feces of chronically infected individuals.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA was detected and quantified in human fecal specimens with the Roche COBAS AMPLICOR system adapted by us for fecal specimens. HCV RNA could be detected in the feces of four of six (67%) patients chronically infected with HCV, with loads up to about 2.8 x 10(5) copies/ml of feces. The same HCV genotypes were observed in feces and plasma as determined by direct sequencing of the 5' untranslated region.