ANTIBODIES TO CYTOMEGALO AND EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUSES IN HUMAN SALIVA ANDGINGIVAL FLUID

The prevalence of antibodies to EBV and CMV was studied in 34 samples of whole saliva and gingival crevicular fluids (GCF) obtained from cli nically healthy volunteers and compared to the corresponding antibodie s present in the serum of each individual. Higher prevalence of serum antibodies was found to EBV (85.2%) than to CMV (64.7%) (P < 0.04). Th e percentage of saliva samples containing IgG and/or IgA antibodies wa s not significantly different for the two viruses (79.4% for EBV and 5 8.8% for CMV). However, in the GCF the percentage to EBV was lower -32 .3% as compared to 70.5% for CMV (P < 0.002). The prevalence of CMV in serum saliva and GCF was similar. However, while in the saliva simila r levels of IgG and IgA were found, in the GCF IgA prevails. The pictu re for EBV is different: a similar percentage of antibodies was notice d in serum and saliva, but it was significantly lower in the GCF. Howe ver, antibodies to EBV were mostly IgA both in the saliva and the GCF. Although a similar number of samples were positive to both viruses in the saliva, the IgA response to EBV was higher than to CMV (P < 0.05) , while in GCF IgA response was higher to CMV (P < 0.05). Passive tran sudation rather than active transport of plasma-derived Ig is probably responsible for the presence of IgG, while the IgA found in saliva an d GCF is derived from local synthesis by plasma cells rather than from selective transport from blood.