CORRELATION OF DETECTABILITY OF HEPATITIS-C VIRUS GENOME IN SALIVA OFELDERLY JAPANESE SYMPTOMATIC HCV CARRIERS WITH THEIR HEPATIC-FUNCTION

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome was sought in the saliva of 76 chro nic HCV carriers (mean age nearly 60 years) in a rural Japanese town, who had high serum titers of c-100 and anti-core second generation ant ibodies, In 27 samples (27 cases, 36%), the HCV-RNA genome was detecte d by the reverse transcriptase - polymerase chain reaction with either of two sets of primers covering two regions of the HCV genome: the 5' noncoding region and the region encompassing the putative envelope (E1 ). Transaminase values at the time of sampling were higher in the pati ents with than in those without detectable HCV RNA in saliva (p = 0.04 for alanine aminotransferase, p = 0.04 for aspartate aminotransferase ; Wilcoxon test). The prevalence of the positivity was higher by 5'non coding primers (14/59 vs. 15/68), Our data show that the severity and duration of hepatic dysfunction influence the detectability of the HCV genome in the saliva, This has been a controversial point among inves tigators.