HCV-RNA occurrence in saliva of odontoiatric HCV seropositive patients.
BACKGROUND
HCV-RNA occurrence in saliva of patients suffering from C hepatitis induced to consider saliva as a possible diffusion mean of this disease.


METHODS
Saliva and blood samples from 32 C hepatitis seropositive patients, followed for odontostomatologic problems in Odontoiatric Clinic of Brescia University were obtained. In every blood and saliva sample HCV-RNA concentration was evaluated following HCV-RNA 2.0 Assay (bDNA) Quantiplex test (Chiron), in Microbiology Institute of Brescia University.


RESULTS
All patients showing HCV-RNA in serum presented virus in saliva also; two patients with negative HCV-RNA serum presented virus in saliva. In latter cases, we supposed that viral concentration in serum was under sensibility threshold of employed method.


CONCLUSIONS
Saliva appears an easily and not invasively obtainable medium for epidemiological studies on HCV diffusion in humans. Its role in C hepatitis transmission, on the contrary, has not been cleared till now.
Savoldi
E
E
Odontoiatric Clinic, Università degli Studi, Brescia, Italy.
Gargiulo
F
F
Marinone
M G
MG
Favilli
F
F
Callea
F
F
Sapelli
P L
PL
Turano
A
A
D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral