[Glycosidase activity of the tears in patients with ophthalmic herpes]

The activity of three glycosidases in a tear has been studied in 26 patients with ophthalmic herpes, the diagnosis being confirmed by the method of fluorescent antibodies. The study has shown that in patients with herpetic keratitis the activity of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase increases and that of beta-glucosidase and beta-glucuronidase appears in a tear of the injured eye and to a lesser degree in a tear of the contralateral eye as compared to that in a tear of healthy persons. The appearance of acid glycosidases or increase of their activity is connected with the departure of enzymes from the infected cornea and destruction of glycoside-containing compounds being important for the structure and functions of the cornea.