Use of Saliva in the Detection of Antibodies to Hepatitis C Virus | ||||
| Journal of High Institute of Public Health | ||||
| Article 18, Volume 36, Issue 2, April 2006, Page 603-612 | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/jhiph.2006.159034 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Author | ||||
| Heba S. Selim* | ||||
| Microbiology Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Egypt | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Although blood sample are of prime importance in biochemical testing and serodiagnosis; the ease, safety and noninvasiveness nature of saliva make it an attractive alternative. The aim of this study was to examine the adaptability of commercially available serological kit to detect antibodies to hepatitis C virus [anti-HCV] in salivary samples and comparing the results with those of serum anti-HCV. Also, the prevalence of anti-HCV in relation to different risk factors was assessed. Serum and salvia samples were obtained simultaneously from 90 patients suspected clinically of having hepatitis. Serum anti-HCV were detected in 31 [34.4%] samples, while salivary anti-HCV were detected in 24 [26.7%] samples. Accordingly, the sensitivity and specificity of salivary anti-HCV testing were 77.4% and 100%, respectively. There was positive statistical relation between the presence of serum and salivary anti-HCV and history of blood transfusion in examined patients. Thus, saliva can replace serum in epidemiological studies. However, future studies for improvement of the method are needed for adaptation of salivary anti-HCV testing in disease diagnosis. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| C virus; serum; saliva; anti-HCV | ||||
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