Blood in saliva of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: Possible implication in sexual transmission of the disease

The presence and concentration of haemoglobin in saliva of anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive subjects, anti-HIV-negative subjects at high risk of infection, and healthy controls were studied. One hundred eighty-eight subjects were anti-HIV-positive intravenous drug abusers (IVDA), 22 were anti-HIV-positive homosexual men, 23 were anti-HIV-positive heterosexual contacts, 132 were anti-HIV-negative IVDA, 35 were anti-HIV-negative homosexual men, and 154 were healthy controls. Two milliliters of saliva was collected in the morning before brushing teeth, and the presence and the concentration of haemoglobin were determined. Based on hemoglobin, the data show that the anti-HIV-positive IVDA have the highest tendency to bleeding. The difference between this group with respect to anti-HIV-negative IVDA (P 200/mm3 (P < 0.01), in subjects with AIDS-related complex (ARO/AIDS compared to asymptomatic/PGL subjects (P < 0.01), and in subjects with stomatitis compared to subjects without stomatitis (P < 0.05). The possibility that subjects with AIDS, particularly IVDA, could transmit infection through saliva in traumatic and repetitive sexual context (e.g., passionate kissing, insertive fellatio, etc.) is discussed. © 1994 Wiiey-Liss, Inc.