Enhanced amplification of hepatitis C virus (HCV) cDNA by PCR: detection of HCV RNA in archival sera

A reverse transcription-PCR assay which successfully amplified hepatitis C virus RNA from poorly stored archival sera was optimized. Maximum sensitivity was achieved with Moloney murine leukemia virus RNase H- reverse transcriptase and by a single round of PCR amplification of a short (112-bp) fragment of the 5' untranslated region of the viral genome.