Detection of hepatitis C virus RNA genome in liver tissue by nonisotopic in situ hybridization.

A rapid technique for the detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in liver section using nonisotopic in situ hybridization was described. Only 3 of the 10 patients seropositive for antibody to HCV and HCV RNA had detectable HCV RNA in the hepatocytes (1%, 2%, and 15% of cells positive). No specific signal was detected in sinusoidal, biliary epithelial, and mononuclear cells. The positive hepatocytes were scattered in the liver lobule with occasional clusters. The positive signal was confined to the cytoplasmic compartment. These data support the previous observation of the hepatocyte tropism of HCV.