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Background: A novel single-strand, circular DNA virus has been recently isolated and named TT virus (TTV). It has been demonstrated that peripheral blood cells harbor TTV DNA, suggesting that the virus might replicate in lymphoid cells and contribute to lymphocyte imbalances with consequent immunosuppressive effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of TTV DMA in healthy and periodontally compromised subjects, evaluating the presence of the virus in the gingiva and saliva, and comparing virological results with clinical data. Methods: Twenty-one patients (seven males and 14 females, aged 25 to 76 years) were enrolled in the study. Eleven subjects were diagnosed with moderate periodontitis, while 10 were periodontally healthy. A sample of saliva was taken from each patent before recording the periodontal data; subsequently, a gingival biopsy was performed. A real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to quantify the presence of TTV DNA in saliva and gingival specimens. Results: A statistically significant association was found between TTV in gingival tissue and the presence of periodontitis (P= 0.0351), while no association was observed between TTV in saliva and the presence of periodontitis (P = 0.4762). Conclusions: A new DNA virus (TTV) was first identified in the gingival tissue and was found to be significantly associated with the presence of periodontitis. These findings need to be investigated in further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To search for a possible source of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in saliva, the presence and shedding patterns of HCV in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and saliva of HCV viremic logical, virological, and oral health parameters. Methods: Saliva and GCF samples of 50 HCV viremic patients were collected to detect HCV RNA by a modified commercial polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Clinical oral examination was monitored. The results were correlated to specified parameters. Results: HCV RNA was detected in 59% (29/49) of the GCF specimens and in 35% (17/48) of the saliva specimens. In saliva specimens, HCV RNA was detected only in cases which also had detectable HCV RNA in the GCF samples (P = 0.00002) and was significantly related to the presence of blood in saliva (P = 0.03). Higher, but not significant, values of oral clinical parameters at the sites of fluid collection were found in GCF specimens harboring HCV RNA. In GCF specimens with no blood detected, HCV RNA was more often present in cases with higher plasma viral load (P = 0.05). Conclusions: The results suggest that besides blood, the other most probable source of HCV in saliva Is GCF. Unknown endogenous HCV inhibitory mechanisms in the oral cavity may explain the discrepancies in HCV appearance between saliva and GCF. The results provide a biologic basis for further investigation of the role of HCV in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]