title: Tears from children with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are infectious vehicles of HBV transmission: experimental transmission of HBV by tears, using mice with chimeric human livers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Body fluids such as saliva, urine, sweat, and tears from hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers are potential sources of HBV transmission.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine children and 8 adults who were chronically infected with HBV were enrolled. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used for the quantification of HBV DNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HBV DNA was detected in 73.7% of urine samples (14 of 19), 86.8% of saliva samples (33 of 38), 100% of tear samples (11 of 11), and 100% of sweat samples (9 of 9). Mean HBV DNA levels (±SD) in urine, saliva, tears, and sweat were 4.3 ± 1.1 log copies/mL, 5.9 ± 1.2 log copies/mL, 6.2 ± 0.7 log copies/mL, and 5.2 ± 0.6 log copies/mL, respectively. A statistically significant correlation was observed between the HBV DNA level in serum specimens and HBV DNA levels in saliva and tear specimens (r = 0.88; P < .001). Tear specimens from a child were injected intravenously into 2 human hepatocyte-transplanted chimeric mice. One week after inoculation, both chimeric mice had serum positive for HBV DNA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The levels of HBV DNA in tear specimens from young children were high. Tears were confirmed to be infectious, using chimeric mice. Strict precautions should be taken against direct contact with body fluids from HBV carriers with high-level viremia.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Eastern Yokohama Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan. haruki-komatsu@chive.ocn.ne.jp
authors.forename: Haruki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Komatsu
authors.forename: Ayano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Inui
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sogo
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tateno
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shimokawa
authors.forename: Tomoo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujisawa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002678:Chimera; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology; D013542:Sweat / Q000821:virology; D013666:Tears / Q000821:virology*; D014556:Urine / Q000821:virology; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral