The invention relates to a method of detecting HCV infection in a
biological sample, the method comprising providing an immunoassay solid
support, comprising an HCV anti-core antibody, an antigen comprising an
HCV NS3/4a epitope, and an HCV multiple epitope fusion antigen, that can
detect both HCV antigens and antibodies present in a sample. The
invention also includes polynucleotides encoding multiple epitope fusion
antigens for use in the assay, recombinant vectors and host cells
comprising such polynucleotides, and methods of producing the multiple
epitope fusion antigens.