title: The Investigation of HCV RNA in Tear Fluid and Aqueous Humor in Patients with Anti-HCV Antibody Positive Who Underwent Cataract Surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To obtain aqueous humor and tear fluid samples during cataract surgery of the hepatitis C virus (HCV)-antibody-positive patients in order to analyze them for HCV RNA and compare these measurements with serum HCV RNA levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine anti-HCV-positive patients were included this study. HCV RNA viral load levels were determined by commercial real-time polymerase chain reaction system. Antibodies to HCV were screened with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using anti-HCV test kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Log10 HCV RNA levels were found to be 6.00 ± 1.06 IU/mL in serum, 2.76 ± 0.36 IU/mL in the aqueous humor, and 1.91 ± 0.93 IU/mL in tear fluid. No correlation was detected between samples for HCV RNA positivity (p = .390, κ = .102). We have observed that, viral RNA was detected in the aqueous humor, while not in serum in one case, whereas viral RNA was detected in tear fluid but not in serum in another case.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although viral load detected in aqueous humor and tear fluid samples was considerably lower compared to the serum samples, it can still be important in terms of infectivity.
authors.affiliation: a Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Ophthalmology , Kayseri , Turkey .
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Atas
authors.affiliation: a Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Ophthalmology , Kayseri , Turkey .
authors.forename: Arzu Seyhan
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Karatepe Hashas
authors.affiliation: a Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Ophthalmology , Kayseri , Turkey .
authors.forename: Süleyman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demircan
authors.affiliation: b Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases , Kayseri , Turkey , and.
authors.forename: Fatma Mutlu
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Sarıguzel
authors.affiliation: a Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Ophthalmology , Kayseri , Turkey .
authors.forename: Burhan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Baskan
authors.affiliation: a Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Ophthalmology , Kayseri , Turkey .
authors.forename: Isa
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yuvacı
authors.affiliation: a Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Ophthalmology , Kayseri , Turkey .
authors.forename: Emine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pangal
authors.affiliation: b Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases , Kayseri , Turkey , and.
authors.forename: Ilhami
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.affiliation: c Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Biostatistics , Kayseri , Turkey.
authors.forename: Gokmen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zararsiz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000821:virology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D060005:Genotyping Techniques; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000821:virology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013666:Tears / Q000821:virology*; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: Aqueous humor; hepatitis C; tear fluid