HUMAN SUBMANDIBULAR SALIVA AGGREGATES HIV

Incubation of HIV with human whole, parotid, or submandibular saliva l eads to a decrease in viral infectivity in Sup-T1 cells. The effect is most pronounced with submandibular saliva. Inhibition is seen within 2 min, and increases with time. There is little inhibition seen after incubation of saliva with HSV, and no effect with adenovirus, suggeste d that there is some viral specificity. Electron microscopic studies r evealed that HIV-saliva aggregates are trapped in 0.45-mum pore size n itrocellulose filters. If these inhibitory effects are manifest in viv o, this could account for the low level of virus detected in oral secr etions.