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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, September 2005, p. 4413-4417, Vol. 43, No. 9
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.9.4413-4417.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Quantitative Detection of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) RNA in Saliva and Gingival Crevicular Fluid of HCV-Infected Patients

Tetsuro Suzuki,1* Kazuhiko Omata,1,2 Tazuko Satoh,2 Takahiro Miyasaka,2 Chiaki Arai,3 Munehiro Maeda,4 Tomonori Matsuno,2 and Tatsuo Miyamura1

Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases,1 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery,2 Department of Endodontics and Operative Dentistry, The Nippon Dental University School of Dentistry at Tokyo,4 Section of Clinical Laboratory, The Nippon Dental University School of Dentistry at Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan3

Received 8 February 2005/ Returned for modification 28 May 2005/ Accepted 2 June 2005

The search for hepatitis C virus (HCV) in body fluids other than blood is important when assessing possible nonparenteral routes of viral transmission. However, the role of oral fluids in HCV transmission remains controversial. Here we quantitatively determined HCV RNA in saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of anti-HCV-positive patients. Most patients (14 of 18; 78%) whose saliva specimens were negative had HCV RNA in their GCF. Most patients (20 of 26; 77%) had higher HCV RNA levels in their GCF than in their saliva. Although there was not a statistically significant correlation between the serum viral load and HCV level in saliva or GCF, patients with low serum HCV loads were less likely to have detectable HCV in their saliva. These findings have important implications for medical personnel and suggest that epidemiological studies designed to understand the significance of the oral route of transmission of HCV are warranted.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 2-14-15 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan 162-8640. Phone: (81) 3-5285-1111. Fax: (81) 3-5285-1161. E-mail: tesuzuki{at}nih.go.jp.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, September 2005, p. 4413-4417, Vol. 43, No. 9
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.9.4413-4417.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Shirakura, M., Murakami, K., Ichimura, T., Suzuki, R., Shimoji, T., Fukuda, K., Abe, K., Sato, S., Fukasawa, M., Yamakawa, Y., Nishijima, M., Moriishi, K., Matsuura, Y., Wakita, T., Suzuki, T., Howley, P. M., Miyamura, T., Shoji, I. (2007). E6AP Ubiquitin Ligase Mediates Ubiquitylation and Degradation of Hepatitis C Virus Core Protein. J. Virol. 81: 1174-1185 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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