Correlation between Hepatitis C Virus Antibodies in Saliva and Serum: A Safe Method for Epidemiological Studies

Objectives: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is an increasing public health problem in developing countries. A non-invasive method is required as blood sampling is an invasive method for detecting HCV antibodies. In this report, we examined the performance of a commercially available serological kit to detect HCV antibodies in saliva as a possible alternative to serum for epidemiological studies. Materials and Methods: A total of 150 paired oral fluid and blood samples were collected from 75 anti-HCV-positive and 75 anti-HCV-negative individuals. Homemade swabs were used for saliva sampling instead of commercial products. Modified Ortho HCV 3.0 SAVe ELISA kit was used to detect HCV antibodies in saliva, and blood samples were analyzed for anti-HCV and HCV-RNA. Results: The sensitivity and specificity of this assay were 86.7% and 86.7% in saliva. Out of 38 participants who were positive for HCV-RNA in serum, 36 were also positive for HCV antibodies in saliva. Conclusion: The implementation of a non-invasive method such as saliva collection is easy, economical, and can be done by unskilled personnel. According to our sensitivity and specificity results, the modified ELISA method for anti-HCV detection in saliva with the use of a different saliva collection system can be an alternative technique for epidemiological surveys.