Tear samples of 20 patients who were determined to have positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) after an acute hepatitis B infection and aqueous humor samples of 10 patients who were HBsAg carriers were tested for HBsAg, and the results obtained for serum and these fluids were compared. In 85% of the 20 patients who were HBsAg positive, HBsAg was found to be positive in tear samples. In 50% of the other 10 patients in aqueous humor was also found to be HBsAg positive. Our findings show that tears and aqueous humor are important in the spreading of hepatitis B infections.

In order to determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the Black Sea region in Turkey, 287 serum samples taken from risk groups were investigated for anti-HCV antibodies using HCV EIA system. Anti-HCV antibodies were found to be positive in 51.2% of chronic haemodialysis patients, 20.6% of probable acute non-A, non-B hepatitis patients, 4% of patients who had multiple blood transfusions, 1.5% of the health personnel, while in new haemodialysis patients anti-HCV antibodies were not found.