A sensitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of anti - HCV antibodies was developed using a multi-antigenic soild phase system. This system involves immobilization of biotinylatedi antigens (synthetic peptides produced by recombinant DNA technology) ah- shed to the solid phase through linkage by streptavidin (STA) on the plastic surface of the microtitre ELISA plates.Four recombinant peptides (proteins) were attached to the STA via a spacer arm to facilitate the binding of various specific Abs against different epitopes of HCV proteins present in the sera of the patients or HCV carriers.Fifty five sera of blood donors positive, and thirty five sera negative with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were examined by both he present ELISA method and the conventional ELISA, to detect Abs against both structural and non-structural proteins of HCV, in two serum dilutions (1:10 and 1:1000).While the specificity of the newly developed ELISA test was the same as the conventional ELISA, the sensitivity of the new test was higher than of the conventional one at both serum dilutions (98%vs 92.7% a 1:10 dilution and 92.5%vs 87.2% at 1:1000 dilution).The new ELISA system appears to offer significant advantageous for indirect ELISAs, specially for those utilizing more than one synthetic peptides.