title: Salivary defense factors in herpes simplex virus infection.
abstract: Saliva may contribute to a lowering of the infectious herpes simplex virus (HSV) dose during transmission and consequently abrogate infection or lead to decreased reactivation. To test this hypothesis, we assayed saliva for innate defense factors, immunoglobulin content, and the capacity to interfere with HSV infection. Serum or salivary anti-HSV IgG levels did not correlate with control of recurrent labial herpes (RLH) and were significantly higher in subjects with RLH compared with asymptomatic seropositive subjects. Although no differences in levels or output rate of innate defense factors between the groups were observed, the salivary neutralizing activity correlated with lactoferrin and hypothiocyanite concentrations in the asymptomatic seropositive group. Our results suggest that saliva contains factors, in addition to anti-HSV immunoglobulins, that neutralize HSV and may indirectly contribute to the control of RLH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cariology, Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. hannamari.valimaa@utu.fi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Välimaa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waris
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hukkanen
authors.forename: M F J
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Blankenvoorde
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Nieuw Amerongen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tenovuo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006560:Herpes Labialis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology*; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000032:analysis; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D010948:Viral Plaque Assay; D014775:Virus Activation / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides