Detection of hepatitis C virus RNA in saliva is not related to oral health status or viral load
✍ Scribed by Liliane Lins; Herbert Almeida; Ludmila Vitvisk; Theomira Carmo; Raymundo Paraná; Mitermayer G. Reis
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2005
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 89 KB
- Volume
- 77
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0146-6615
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✦ Synopsis
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.