No evidence of hepatitis C virus infection in Serbian patients with oral leukoplakia.
BACKGROUND
A review of the literature reveals controversy regarding the relationship between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and oral leukoplakia (OL). The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of HCV antibodies in patients with OL and control subjects resident in Serbia.


METHODS
In this cross-sectional study 73 consecutive patients with histologically proven OL and 90 control subjects, whose age and gender were matched, were examined for the presence of serological evidence of chronic hepatic disease, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HCV seropositivity.


RESULTS
None of the patients with OL or control subjects had antibodies to HCV or HBsAg. All patients with OL and control subjects had normal liver function.


CONCLUSIONS
The present data indicate that patients with OL resident in Serbia do not have evidence of HCV or HBV infection.
Bokor-Bratic
M
M
Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro. bokbrat@eunet.yu
D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015022:Yugoslavia
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies