tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Eur J Oral Sci
. 2022 Nov 20;e12903.
doi: 10.1111/eos.12903. Online ahead of print.
Microscopic observations of SARS-CoV-2 like particles in different oral samples
Djamal Brahim Belhaouari[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Jean-Pierre Baudoin[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Jean-Christophe Lagier[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Virginie Monnet-Corti[SUP] 1 3 4 [/SUP], Bernard La Scola[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Angéline Antezack[SUP] 1 3 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
The emerging coronavirus pneumonia epidemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 infection has spread rapidly around the world. The main routes of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 are currently recognised as aerosol/droplet inhalation. However, the involvement of the oral cavity in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is poorly known. The current data indicates the presence of viral RNA in oral samples, suggesting the implication of saliva in SARS-CoV-2 transmission, however, no direct observation of SARS-CoV-2 particles in different oral samples has been reported. In this study, we investigated whether particles of SARS-CoV-2 were present in oral samples collected from three symptomatic COVID-19 patients. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the correlative strategy of light microscopy and electron microscopy and immunofluorescence staining, we showed the presence of SARS-like particles in RT-qPCR SARS-CoV-2-positive saliva, dental plaque and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) samples. In the saliva samples, we demonstrated the presence of epithelial oral cells with morphogenetic features of SARS-CoV-2 infected cells. Inside those cells, vacuoles filled with nascent particles were observed, suggesting the potential infection and replication of SARS-CoV-2 in oral tissues. Our results corroborate previous studies and confirm that the oral cavity may be a potential niche for SARS-CoV-2 infection and a potential source of transmission.
Keywords: COVID-19; dental plaque; saliva; scanning electron microscopy; virology.
. 2022 Nov 20;e12903.
doi: 10.1111/eos.12903. Online ahead of print.
Microscopic observations of SARS-CoV-2 like particles in different oral samples
Djamal Brahim Belhaouari[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Jean-Pierre Baudoin[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Jean-Christophe Lagier[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Virginie Monnet-Corti[SUP] 1 3 4 [/SUP], Bernard La Scola[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Angéline Antezack[SUP] 1 3 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 36404273
- DOI: 10.1111/eos.12903
Abstract
The emerging coronavirus pneumonia epidemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 infection has spread rapidly around the world. The main routes of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 are currently recognised as aerosol/droplet inhalation. However, the involvement of the oral cavity in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is poorly known. The current data indicates the presence of viral RNA in oral samples, suggesting the implication of saliva in SARS-CoV-2 transmission, however, no direct observation of SARS-CoV-2 particles in different oral samples has been reported. In this study, we investigated whether particles of SARS-CoV-2 were present in oral samples collected from three symptomatic COVID-19 patients. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the correlative strategy of light microscopy and electron microscopy and immunofluorescence staining, we showed the presence of SARS-like particles in RT-qPCR SARS-CoV-2-positive saliva, dental plaque and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) samples. In the saliva samples, we demonstrated the presence of epithelial oral cells with morphogenetic features of SARS-CoV-2 infected cells. Inside those cells, vacuoles filled with nascent particles were observed, suggesting the potential infection and replication of SARS-CoV-2 in oral tissues. Our results corroborate previous studies and confirm that the oral cavity may be a potential niche for SARS-CoV-2 infection and a potential source of transmission.
Keywords: COVID-19; dental plaque; saliva; scanning electron microscopy; virology.