HCV ANTIBODIES IN SALIVA AND URINE

Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is usually established by detec tion of serum antibodies (anti-HCV). This study was conducted in order to evaluate whether saliva and urine may substitute serum for anti-HC V detection. Serum, saliva, and urine were obtained simultaneously fro m 141 patients with a variety of liver diseases and from 52 patients w ith autoimmune diseases; (systemic lupus erythematosus n = 27 and rheu matoid arthritis n = 25). The cell free fraction of saliva and urine s amples was tested for anti-HCV using a modification of a serum anti-HC V kit. Western blot analysis was used as a confirmation method. Of the patients with liver diseases, 73 were anti-HCV-seropositive. Salivary and urinary anti-HCV could be detected in 66 (90%) and 36 (49%) of th e anti-HCV-serpositive patients, respectively. The presence of anti-HC V in saliva or urine was not related to the severity of liver disease. All the anti-HCV-seronegative liver patients were negative for saliva ry anti-HCV and 22 (32%) had urinary anti-HCV. The patients with autoi mmune diseases were all anti-HCV-seronegative. None had detectable sal ivary anti-HCV while 33 (63%) were positive for urinary anti-HCV. West ern Blot analysis confirmed the presence of anti-HCV in all serum and saliva samples tested but only in 2/12 urine samples. The results sugg est that saliva, but not urine, may serve as a substitute for serum fo r the determination of anti-HCV positivity. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.