Sa. Freel et al., Characterization of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in saliva and blood plasma by V3-specific heteroduplex tracking assay and genotype analyses, J VIROLOGY, 75(10), 2001, pp. 4936-4940
The gp120 V3-encoding region of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)
RNA derived from the saliva and blood plasma of 11 individuals was charact
erized by heteroduplex tracking assay and sequence analyses. R5-like viral
variants were identified in both fluids of all subjects. X4-like variants w
ere detected in the plasma and/or saliva of three subjects, indicating that
X4-like variants are not excluded from the saliva compartment. Viral subpo
pulations were similar in both fluids of most subjects, suggesting that HIV
-1 in oral fluids and blood may stem from a common source. These findings r
aise the possibility of using saliva as a noninvasive fluid for evaluating
and monitoring viral evolution in infected persons.