title: HCV clearance patterns in saliva and serum of patients with chronic HCV infection under interferon plus ribavirin therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA is often present in saliva of HCV-infected patients, with plasma viral load being the only known predictable factor. Interferon plus ribavirin therapy yields a sustained reduction in HCV viremia. This study aimed to assess the presence of HCV in saliva and serum specimens from patients undergoing this combination therapy (CT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Paired serum and saliva specimens were collected from 44 chronic HCV-infected patients at basal time, 4 and 12 weeks after CT onset, at the end of treatment and 6 months latter. Serum HCV-RNA levels were determined by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) Amplicor system. Presence of HCV-RNA in saliva was tested by a highly sensitive non-commercialized nested-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The HCV-RNA was detected in 26 saliva specimens at basal time (59.1%). In 34.1% of cases, a concordance viral clearance pattern in serum and saliva was observed in both responders (pattern 1a) and non-responders (pattern 1b). In pattern 2 (13.6% of cases), HCV was detected longer during CT in serum than in saliva (pattern 2a) or in saliva than in serum (pattern 2b). In 11.3% of patients, viral clearance was corroborated either in their serum (pattern 3a) or in their saliva (pattern 3b), but not in both fluids. Of the eight primary responders with 1a clearance pattern, seven were sustained responders. None of the patients with 2a clearance pattern was a sustained responder. Of the two primary responders showing the 3b salivary pattern, one had already relapsed in the first 6 months of follow up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results suggest that the monitoring of salivary levels of HCV would be a helpful means of determining sustained antiviral effects of interferon and ribavirin in the treatment of HCV disease.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Dentistry, Santiago de Compostela University, Vigo, Spain. pdiz@usc.es
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Diz Dios
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Reforma
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eirea
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hermida
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology*; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin