title: Routine practice HCV infection screening with saliva samples: multicentric study in an intravenous drug user population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this randomized multicentric study was to evaluate the diagnostic contribution of screening for HCV infection on saliva samples in day-to-day practice in the intravenous drug-user (IVDU) population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January and May 2004, 274 presumably HCV-negative IVDU were screened for HCV infection in 15 centers in France (median age 29 years). After centralized randomization, screening tests were performed on blood samples (arm A) or saliva samples (arm B). Screening tests were performed in 78 subjects (28%) had never been screened before and in 196 subjects (72%) who had had a negative HCV screening test on average 12 months prior to the beginning of the study. In the event of a positive saliva test for anti-HCV Ab, a serum test for anti-HCV Ab was performed. In the event of a positive serum test for anti-HCV Ab, PCR was performed on serum to measure HCV-RNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourteen individuals were positive for HCV RNA (7 in each arm). Six of these cases had not been detected before. In eight cases, the median time between the last negative screening test and study inclusion was 11 months (range 6-94 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Viremia tests were positive in 5% percent of the target population, although one-third of the individuals in arm A (blood samples) were not tested. The saliva test may be a useful alternative in the event of refusal of a blood test or when poor venous conditions compromise venous puncture. A confirmatory blood test still remains difficult to obtain in nearly half of patients.
authors.affiliation: Groupe Hospitalier de l'Institut Catholique de Lille, Hôpital Saint-Philibert, Lomme. lucidarme.damien@ghicl.net
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lucidarme
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Decoster
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fremaux
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harbonnier
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vosgien
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Josse
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Villeger
authors.forename: Cécile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Henrio
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Prouvost-Keller
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saccardy
authors.forename: Muriel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lemaire
authors.forename: Gérard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vazeille
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Duchene
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thuillier
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Colbeaux
authors.forename: Anne-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lefebvre
authors.forename: Gérard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Forzy
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Filoche
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014766:Viremia / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral