ABSTRACT
Saliva tests, when used in screening for antibodies to HIV virus (anti-HIV), makes testing safer, easy-to-fulfill (even outside clinic) and acceptable for a majority of examinees. The main quality parameters of express-test for the detection of anti-HIV in saliva were evaluated for the purpose of using the related approach in the HIV epidemiological supervision. Saliva samples and sera of 81 HIV-infected patients and of 99 presumably non-infected persons were investigated by the "OraQuick" express-test. The data obtained were compared with the results of ELISA-based serum testing. The sensitivity of "OraQuick" made 95% and its specificity was 100%. The test is appropriate for epidemiological investigations and HIV epidemiological supervision but it cannot be recommended for the blood transfusion service.
