Viral hepatitis is one of the most important infectious diseases worldwide as well as in Vietnam. Among them, hepatitis C (also known as HCV) is the leading cause of liver transplants in the United States. Vietnamese people are 3 to 4 times more likely to be hepatitis C positive than other ethnic groups.

Of the five types of hepatitis viruses identified to date, hepatitis C virus, discovered in 1989, is considered particularly dangerous, due to its ability to easily turn into chronic hepatitis, which then progresses to cirrhosis and liver cancer.

HCV infection has become a global health problem with an estimated 175 million people chronically infected and more than 4 million new cases each year. Many of those infected are asymptomatic and unaware of the condition. Acute HCV infection may cause few, mild, nonspecific symptoms, and chronic infections may remain dormant for a decade or two before causing enough liver damage to affect liver function. Therefore, the development of the automated HCV Ab immunoassay will screen and help in early diagnosis and timely treatment.