title: Detection of antibodies in saliva--an effective auxiliary method in surveillance of infectious diseases.
abstract: Saliva is a body fluid containing antibodies of diagnostic significance. Unlike venipuncture, saliva collection (by brushing the teeth and rubbing the gums) is painless, non-invasive, inexpensive, simple and rapid. By using sensitive immunoassays in salivary specimens it is possible to diagnose immunoglobulins against a wide range of infectious diseases e.g. hepatitis A, B and C, measles, mumps, rubella, human immunodeficiency virus, Epstein-Barr virus, parvovirus B 19, human herpesvirus 6 and Helicobacter pylori infections. Salivary antibody testing may provide better access to epidemic outbreaks, children, large populations, hard-to-reach risk groups and may thus play a major role in the surveillance and control of infectious diseases. (Tab. 2, Ref. 34.)
authors.affiliation: Institute of Epidemiology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia. madar@jfmed.uniba.sk
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Madar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Straka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baska
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007136:Immunoglobulins