SALIVA AND SERUM AS DIAGNOSTIC MEDIA FOR ANTIBODY TO HEPATITIS-A VIRUS IN ADULTS AND IN INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE RECEIVED AN INACTIVATED HEPATITIS-A VACCINE

Saliva was evaluated as a diagnostic fluid for screening individuals f or evidence of previous hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection and for evid ence of seroconversion after vaccination with inactivated hepatitis A vaccine. A new and simple saliva collection method and an assay for de tection of HAV antibody were used; the assay used an antibody capture format. There was complete concordance between the results of saliva-b ased assays and those of serum-based assays, both of which were used f or determining previous natural HAV exposure. However, for vaccine rec ipients, 100% concordance for saliva-based and serum-based assays occu rred only at serum titers of >9,000 mIU/mL, which were determined with use of the modified HAVAB assay. Saliva provides adequate sensitivity and specificity for determining naturally acquired HAV infection, alt hough it is not useful in clinical trials for determining seroconversi on after HAV vaccination.