GINGIVAL CREVICULAR FLUID: A DIAGNOSTIC MARKER IN HIV POSITIVE PATIENTS
ELISA is the most commonly used test for screening HIV patients. Generally it is found that people are scared of pricking injections, reluctant to give blood sample (quantity), think about cost effectiveness and also causes disturbances their social life. In the present era investigators are searching for alternative to serological testing. Recently it is proved that oral fluids testing can be used as an alternative to blood testing. New investigational devices are introduced like Orasure and others which collects the oral saliva, oral mucosal transudate. In the present study we used calibrated 5 µl disposable microcapillaries so that the uncontaminated gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) is obtained. According to Goodson the IgG content of GCF in periodontal pocket is approximately 100 times more than found in saliva and is now widely appreciated that GCF is formed as blood ultrafiltrate. In this study we studied many parameters and reached to the conclusion that GCF can also be of choice instead of serum because of non-invasivensess, painless, low cost effective, less sample, easy collection, safer disposal and better for clinicians because of patients better compliance. The above findings suggestive of GCF being better alternative and better diagnostic medium than serum and saliva so it can be used for detection of HIV.
Prachi Atram
Amravati, In