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[Hepatitis C virus in the aqueous humor]
S Kobayakawa1, T Tochikubo, H Watanabe
1First Department of Ophthalmology, Toho University School of Medicine, Ohta-ku, Japan.
Insights
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody was detected in 4.9% of ophthalmology patients. However, HCV was not found in aqueous humor samples from antibody-positive patients, suggesting low risk of ocular transmission.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
Context:
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a significant cause of non-A, non-B hepatitis.
- Nosocomial transmission of HCV requires preventative measures, similar to Hepatitis B virus.
- Ophthalmological procedures carry a potential risk for viral transmission.
Purpose:
- To determine the prevalence of HCV antibody in patients within an ophthalmology clinic.
- To investigate the presence of HCV in aqueous humor of HCV antibody-positive patients undergoing cataract surgery.
Summary:
- Sera from 226 ophthalmology patients were tested for HCV antibody using C-100-3 antigen, with 11 (4.9%) testing positive.
- Aqueous humor samples from five of these antibody-positive patients were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
- HCV was not detected in any of the tested aqueous humor samples.
Impact:
- This study indicates a low prevalence of HCV infection in the studied ophthalmology patient cohort.
- The findings suggest that the risk of HCV transmission through aqueous humor during cataract surgery may be minimal.
- Further research is warranted to fully understand HCV presence in ocular tissues and potential transmission routes.
Abstract:
Since a method for detecting hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody has been established, many cases of non-A non-B sporadic and post-transfusion hepatitis are now known to have been caused by HCV. It is important to take steps against the nosocomial transmission of HCV as with the hepatitis B virus. Sera from patients in our ophthalmological clinic were tested for the presence of HCV antibody during the seven months from Oct. 1991 to Apr. 1992, utilizing C-100-3 antigen. We then searched for the presence of HCV in human aqueous humor among HCV antibody positive patients at the time of cataract surgery, utilizing the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. HCV antibody was found in 11 of 226 cases (4.9%); aqueous humor of six eyes from 5 of these cases tested with PCR showed negative results.