title: The use of oral fluid for hepatitis C antibody screening.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy of oral fluid antibody testing for the detection of hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  Paired serum and oral fluid collections were obtained from 216 subjects. A modification of the serum HCV ELISA assay was developed to improve test accuracy for an oral fluid substrate. Sensitivity was determined in 109 HCV serum ELISA-positive patients and specificity in 107 HCV serum ELISA-negative patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall sensitivity of oral fluid collection and testing was 98.2%; specificity was 99.1%. These parameters did not seem to be altered by presence of concurrent hepatitis B infection, inflammatory state of the liver, or other factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oral fluid collection and HCV antibody testing by the modified ELISA method seems to be an effective and efficient alternatives to venipuncture and serum HCV antibody testing. Their use may facilitate epidemiological surveys and evaluation of individual patients when blood collection is not feasible.
authors.affiliation: Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, Aurora, Colorado.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Creager
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sargent
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piacentini
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thieme
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005883:Gingival Crevicular Fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies