Salivary HCV-antibodies; a follow-up cohort study of liver disease patients.

We have recently shown in Liver Clinic patients that saliva instead of serum may be used for anti-HCV detection. As compared to blood withdrawing, saliva is easier to obtain, non invasive, especially for infants. In the present study, sequential determination of serum and salivary anti-HCV was performed in the same cohort for 36 months.

Prevalence of specific IgA and IgM anti-HBc antibodies compared with HBV DNA in the sera of HBsAg chronic carriers.

Objective: We evaluated the significance of IgA antibodies directed against the hepatitis B virus core antigen (IgA anti-HBc) as a marker for viral replication.

Study Design/methods: Serum samples of 143 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers and 189 HBsAg-negative subjects were studied. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction.

HCV antibodies in saliva and urine.

Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is usually established by detection of serum antibodies (anti-HCV). This study was conducted in order to evaluate whether saliva and urine may substitute serum for anti-HCV detection. Serum, saliva, and urine were obtained simultaneously from 141 patients with a variety of liver diseases and from 52 patients with autoimmune diseases (systemic lupus erythematosus n = 27 and rheumatoid arthritis n = 25).

Hepatitis B and C viruses serology in patients with SLE.

Sera of 95 patients with SLE were tested for the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-hepatitis C antibodies. The results show that HBsAg was not detected in the sera of all of the SLE patients. Only one patient was confirmed to have anti-HCV antibodies, suggesting that chronic infection with hepatitis B and C is not increased in patients with SLE compared with the general population.

Chlamydia specific IgG and IgA serum antibodies in a study of homosexual men at various clinical stages of HIV related disease.

The significance of chlamydia serum IgG and IgA antibodies was studied, by immunoperoxidase assay, in 210 homosexual men at various stages of HIV infection. Cross sectional analysis of chlamydia IgG antibodies at a titer of > or = 128 indicated a significantly higher prevalence rate among AIDS patients (27.0%) as compared to asymptomatic HIV seronegatives (6.