Patients with dry eye without hepatitis C virus infection possess the viral RNA in their tears.
OBJECTIVE
Dry eye is one of the suggested extrahepatic complications associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. HCV RNA has been detected from the tear fluid of patients with chronic HCV. There has been no literature evidence on the presence of HCV RNA in the tear fluid of patients with dry eye without HCV infection. In this study, tear fluid of patients with dry eye with no HCV infection was screened for the presence of HCV RNA.


METHODS
Tear fluid was collected from patients with dry eye (n = 36) and healthy controls (n = 20). Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect HCV RNA in the tear fluid. Anti-HCV enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, alkaline phosphatase, and alanine aminotransferase tests were performed in the serum samples collected from 15 patients with dry eye.


RESULTS
Viral RNA was detected in 58.3% of the patients. Serum samples collected from 15 patients with dry eye were negative for anti-HCV. Alkaline phosphatase levels were elevated in 12 of 15 patients. Alanine aminotransferase levels were normal in all 15 patients. The odds ratio for the presence of HCV RNA in patients with dry eye was 22.4.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate a direct correlation between dry eye and HCV in non-HCV patients.
*L & T Microbiology Research Centre, Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, India; †Centre for Nanotechnology and Advanced Biomaterials, SASTRA, Thanjavur, India; and ‡Medical Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, India.
Ayilam Ramachandran
AR
Rajalakshmy
Jambulingam
J
Malathi
Hajib Naraharirao
HN
Madhavan
Srinivasan
S
Bhaskar
Geetha Krishnan
GK
Iyer
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013666:Tears / Q000821:virology*; D055815:Young Adult
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase