Detection of antibodies against hepatitis C virus in saliva: a marker of viral replication.
Hepatitis C surveillance has been restricted owing to the lack of a sensitive antibody assay for saliva. The aim of our study was to develop and evaluate a screening assay for hepatitis C antibody in saliva specimens. Serum/saliva pairs were collected from 115 hepatitis C-positive patients. A modified hepatitis C antibody assay for saliva was developed and linked to testing carried out in the diagnostic laboratory. Correlation between the presence of antibody in serum and in saliva was poor (100% vs 85%). However, of 98 patients who were saliva antibody positive, 96 (98%) were also serum hepatitis C RNA positive and two (2%) were serum hepatitis C RNA negative. Hence, the correlation between a positive salivary antibody test and the serum hepatitis C RNA status of intravenous drug users suggests that this test could be used as a surrogate marker for hepatitis C viraemia in epidemiological studies.
Cameron
S O
SO
Regional Virus Laboratory, Glasgow, UK.
Wilson
K S
KS
Good
T
T
McMenamin
J
J
McCarron
B
B
Pithie
A
A
Fox
R
R
D000328:Adult; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000821:virology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology*; D014779:Virus Replication
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral