FIG. 2.

(A) Correlation between anti-HCV antibody levels and HCV RNA levels in serum. The Spearman rank test was used for testing the correlation between variables. There is a significant positive correlation (r = 0.80, P < 0.0001) between the serum levels of HCV antibody detected by the passive hemagglutination assay and those of HCV RNA determined by real-time RT-PCR. (B) Correlation between viral loads in the serum and those in saliva specimens. Results for patients whose HCV RNA levels in saliva were ≥10² copies/ml are plotted. No significant correlation was observed. (C) Correlation between viral loads in serum and those in GCF specimens. Results for patients whose HCV RNA levels in the GCF were ≥10² copies/ml are plotted. No significant correlation was observed.