title: Quantitative detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in saliva and gingival crevicular fluid of HCV-infected patients.
abstract: The search for hepatitis C virus (HCV) in body fluids other than blood is important when assessing possible nonparenteral routes of viral transmission. However, the role of oral fluids in HCV transmission remains controversial. Here we quantitatively determined HCV RNA in saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of anti-HCV-positive patients. Most patients (14 of 18; 78%) whose saliva specimens were negative had HCV RNA in their GCF. Most patients (20 of 26; 77%) had higher HCV RNA levels in their GCF than in their saliva. Although there was not a statistically significant correlation between the serum viral load and HCV level in saliva or GCF, patients with low serum HCV loads were less likely to have detectable HCV in their saliva. These findings have important implications for medical personnel and suggest that epidemiological studies designed to understand the significance of the oral route of transmission of HCV are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan. tesuzuki@nih.go.jp
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Omata
authors.forename: Tazuko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyasaka
authors.forename: Chiaki
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Munehiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Tomonori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuno
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyamura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005883:Gingival Crevicular Fluid / Q000821:virology*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral