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Detection of hepatitis C virus RNA in saliva is not related to oral health status or viral load
Author(s) -
Lins Liliane,
Almeida Herbert,
Vitvisk Ludmila,
Carmo Theomira,
Paraná Raymundo,
Reis Mitermayer G.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.20438
Subject(s) - saliva , hepatitis c virus , medicine , viral load , virology , virus , immunology , viral disease , flaviviridae , rna , transmission (telecommunications) , hepatitis c , biology , gene , biochemistry , electrical engineering , engineering
Hepatitis C is a worldwide public health problem and its transmission is clearly associated with the parenteral route, however, the virus has also been isolated from other body fluids. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA has been detected in saliva, yet the relationship between HCV and oral pathology is not clearly understood. Therefore, an investigation on HCV‐RNA in saliva and its correlation with oral pathology was undertaken. Saliva and blood samples were collected from 50 anti‐HCV positive patients and from 25 patients with non‐HCV chronic liver disease. HCV‐RNA was detected in all of the saliva samples from the HCV positive group. None of the saliva or serum samples from the non‐HCV group were positive for HCV‐RNA. The patients were examined for dental and oral health (dentate, partially dentate, edentulous, evidence of gum disease, or mucosal lesions); however, no correlation was found between HCV‐RNA in saliva, oral health, and viral load. These results suggest that HCV‐RNA presence in saliva is independent of the viral load and the oral pathology of HCV positive individuals. J. Med. Virol. 77:216–220, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.