Oral saliva and COVID-19

Oral Oncol. 2020 Sep:108:104821. doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2020.104821. Epub 2020 May 27.

Abstract

Outbreak pneumonia announced in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, had its causative factor classified as a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Since saliva can host several viruses including SARS-CoV-2, the transmission chance of viruses through saliva, particularly those causing respiratory infections, is unavoidable. COVID-19 can be detected through salivary diagnostic testing which has lots of advantages for medical care professionals and patients. It should be noted that not only does saliva offer an ecological niche for the colonization and development of oral microorganisms, but it also prevents the overgrowth of particular pathogens such as viral factors. The aim of this study is to gather all the information about saliva and its association with COVID-19 for the whole health care professionals across the world.

Keywords: COVID-19; Dentistry; Saliva; Salivary glands.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
  • Betacoronavirus / genetics
  • Betacoronavirus / metabolism*
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / transmission*
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology
  • Dental Care
  • Dentists / psychology
  • Diagnostic Tests, Routine / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate
  • Infection Control / methods
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics
  • Patient Safety
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / metabolism
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / transmission*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology
  • Practice Patterns, Dentists'
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Saliva / immunology*
  • Saliva / virology*
  • Salivary Gland Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Salivary Glands / metabolism
  • Salivary Glands / virology
  • Salivary Proteins and Peptides / immunology
  • Sialadenitis / diagnosis*
  • Sialadenitis / virology
  • Telemedicine / methods
  • Xerostomia

Substances

  • Salivary Proteins and Peptides
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
  • ACE2 protein, human
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2