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Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based Detection and Quantification of Hepatitis B Virus DNA
Published on: December 15, 2023
Failure to detect hepatitis B virus in vitreous by polymerase chain reaction
Cengiz Aras1, Akif Ozdamar, Sevgi Ergin
1Department of Ophthalmology, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey. drcaras@superonline.com
Purpose:
To assay the vitreous of asymptomatic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers for the presence of HBV DNA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Methods:
Vitreous and serum specimens were collected from 13 carriers of HBV. The presence of HBV DNA was investigated by using PCR and Digene's Hybrid Capture System. The presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in vitreous was also investigated by using the enzyme immunoassay (EIA).
Results:
The serum was positive for HBV DNA in3 of the 13 asymptomatic carriers using PCR. Vitreous samples of all the patients, including 3 patients who were positive for HBV DNA in serum, were negative for HBV DNA with PCR and were negative for HBsAg with EIA.
Conclusion:
There is no evidence of HBV in the vitreous of asymptomatic HBV carriers.
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