Daghestan State Medical Academy, Makhachkala, Russia
Serological examination of 144 patients with different bacterial and viral infections was carried out. Antibodies to Brucella were detected in blood serum in 42 patients (85.7%) with the average titer of 1:996 and in saliva in 41 patients (83.7%) with the average titer of 1:567 by passive hemagglutination test with brucella erythrocyte diagnosticum. Out of 26 dysentery patients, antibodies in blood serum were detected in the diagnostic titer in 17 patients (65.4%) with the average titer of 1:282 and in saliva in 21 patients (80.8%) in the titer of 1:100 and higher. Anti-HAV and anti-HBc IgM were detected in specimens of saliva from patients with serologically confirmed viral hepatitis A and B in 100% of cases. The presence of HBsAg in saliva from hepatitis B patients was established in 95.4% of cases. In blood serum and in specimens of saliva anti-HCV IgM were detected in 100% and 85,7% of cases respectively. Out of 25 women with aggravated obstetric history, IgG antibodies to CMV were detected in blood serum in 23 women (88.5%) and in saliva in 22 women (84.6%). The results of these investigations revealed that the detection rate of antibodies in blood serum and saliva in cases of infections, both bacterial (brucellosis, shigellosis) and viral (hepatitis A, B, C and CMV infection), was not essentially different. The simplicity of obtaining material for analysis make it possible to recommend the use of saliva for diagnosing bacterial and viral infections, especially in mass epidemiological surveys.
Zh. Mikrobiol. (Moscow), 2003, No. 3, P. 50—54