Method for detecting hepatitis C virus

A method for detecting the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in a sample, the method comprising the steps of:

• extracting RNA from the sample;
• contacting the RNA to a reverse transcriptase and a downstream primer having a nucleotide sequence substantially complementary to the HCV RNA sequence to create cDNA;
• forming an amplification medium by mixing the cDNA with a thermostable polymerase, appropriate nucleoside triphosphates, a nucleic-acid-binding fluorescent entity, and the downstream primer and an, upstream primer having a nucleotide sequence substantially complementary to the complement of the HCV RNA;
• thermally cycling the amplification medium between at least a denaturation temperature and an elongation temperature, wherein the upstream and downstream primers in combination amplify a target nucleic acid;
• illuminating the amplification medium with a selected wavelength of light that is absorbed by the fluorescent entity during the thermally cycling step;
• determining the amount of fluorescence generated by the fluorescent entity;
• and
• detecting the presence of the target nucleic acid by analyzing the amount of luminescence determined after at least one amplification cycle.