title: Tear fluid of hepatitis C virus carriers could be infectious.
abstract: For up to 20 to 40% of patients chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), the mode of transmission is still unknown. We demonstrate that tear fluid contains HCV RNA-carrying material with the properties of infectious virus and conclude that smear infection with tear fluid may play a role in HCV transmission.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Immunologie, Universitäts-Krankenhaus Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Feucht
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zöllner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schröter
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Altrogge
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laufs
mesh_terms: D002353:Carrier State / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013666:Tears / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral