Evaluation of immunoglobulines versus natural salivary defense in controlling recurrent herpes simplex lesions

Abstract EN

Background : there has been no precise correlative study for evaluating the role of immunoglobulin’s versus salivary natural defense in controlling recurrent oro-labial herpes simplex infection.

The present study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of immunoglobulin’s versus natural salivary defense in preventing recurrent lesions.

Method : this study was conducted on 88 healthy dental students in oral diagnosis clinic of Dentistry College / Mustansirya University from October 2007 to December 2007.

Evaluation of defense components was done by identifying and measuring the level of serum anti-HSV1 IgG, salivary secretory IgA and salivary hypothiocyanite in seropositive subjects with and without recurrent oro-labial herpetic lesions.

Results : it was found that the level of serum anti-HSV1 IgG was high in seropositive subjects with recurrent lesions and low in seropositive subjects without recurrence, while the level of salivary hypothiocyanite anion was markedly higher in seropositive subjects without recurrence than seropositive subjects with recurrence.

Conclusion : the natural salivary defense factor– Hypothiocyanite-was able to control recurrent lesions of HSV 1 when its concentration is ≥ 90 μM, while immunoglobulin’s are not efficient in controlling recurrence of the lesion.