title: Comparison of oral fluid and serum ELISAs in the determination of IgG response to natural human papillomavirus infection in university women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Venipuncture (phlebotomy) is an obstacle to subject recruitment and ongoing participation in cohort studies investigating human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Anti-HPV antibodies are not only detected in serum but also in oral fluid.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate if oral fluid specimens can be used in lieu of blood specimens for determining HPV antibody status.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and seven paired oral fluid and blood specimens from female university students were tested in a HPV16 ELISA and compared to sexual history and serial genital HPV16 DNA status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ELISA results were in agreement in 97% (104/107) of paired sera and oral fluid. Of six women with positive anti-HPV16 serum samples, only three had positive oral fluid specimens. However, the specificity of the oral fluid test was 100% compared to the blood test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Detection of antibodies in oral fluid correlated with antibodies but was less sensitive than sera. A larger validation study is required to fully characterize the oral fluid assay.
authors.affiliation: Center for Genomic Sciences, Allegheny Singer Research Institute, 320 E. North Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15212-4772, USA. fbuchins@wpahs.org
authors.forename: Farrel J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Buchinsky
authors.forename: Joseph J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: Gregory C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Wipf
authors.forename: James P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: Laura A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Koutsky
authors.forename: Denise A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Galloway
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D014861:Washington
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G