title: Detection of hepatitis C virus RNA in saliva is not related to oral health status or viral load.
abstract: Hepatitis C is a worldwide public health problem and its transmission is clearly associated with the parenteral route, however, the virus has also been isolated from other body fluids. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA has been detected in saliva, yet the relationship between HCV and oral pathology is not clearly understood. Therefore, an investigation on HCV-RNA in saliva and its correlation with oral pathology was undertaken. Saliva and blood samples were collected from 50 anti-HCV positive patients and from 25 patients with non-HCV chronic liver disease. HCV-RNA was detected in all of the saliva samples from the HCV positive group. None of the saliva or serum samples from the non-HCV group were positive for HCV-RNA. The patients were examined for dental and oral health (dentate, partially dentate, edentulous, evidence of gum disease, or mucosal lesions); however, no correlation was found between HCV-RNA in saliva, oral health, and viral load. These results suggest that HCV-RNA presence in saliva is independent of the viral load and the oral pathology of HCV positive individuals.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Patologia e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Liliane
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lins
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Ludmila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vitvisk
authors.forename: Theomira
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Carmo
authors.forename: Raymundo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paraná
authors.forename: Mitermayer G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Reis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005814:Genes, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000821:virology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology*; D019562:Viral Load; D017201:Virus Shedding
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral