Review of hepatitis non-A, non-B: the potential hazards in dental care

Several of the common viral agents that can cause hepatitis have been detected in body fluids, including saliva and blood, which may both form important routes for transmission of disease. The viruses most commonly implicated include hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Epstein-Barr virus. Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) can be found in persons positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and presumably follows the same routes of transmission as HBV. Herpes simplex and echo viruses can cause hepatitis on rare occasion. Other agents, not yet positively identified but collectively referred to as non-A, non-B are also believed to follow the same routes as HBV and/or HAV. The aim of this reviews is twofold. First, we will discuss hepatotropic viruses other than HBV that may be spread via saliva and blood and, therefore, should be considered along with HBV as a potential health hazard to dental personnel and also to dental patients. The second aim is to highlight the epidemiology and the risk of transmission of these viral infections. The potential hazards are discussed in relation to those associated with HBV and human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV), implicated in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).