tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Exp Biol Med (Maywood)
. 2021 Jul 19;15353702211024651.
doi: 10.1177/15353702211024651. Online ahead of print.
Identification of SARS-CoV-2 on the ocular surface in a cohort of COVID-19 patients from Brazil
Matheus S Gasparini[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Leandro M Dos Santos[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ahmad Ma Hamade[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Luísa G Gross[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Arthur P Favarato[SUP] 1 [/SUP], José Pc de Vasconcellos[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Mônica B de Melo[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Pierina L Parise[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Camila L Simeoni[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Natália B Silva[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Marcelo A da Silva Mori[SUP] 5 6 7 [/SUP], André S Vieira[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Alessandro Dos Santos Farias[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Fabiana Granja[SUP] 3 9 [/SUP], Angelica Z Schreiber[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Maria L Moretti[SUP] 7 [/SUP], José L Proença-Modena[SUP] 3 10 [/SUP], Mônica Alves[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
In this cross-sectional study, we investigate the presence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Ribonucleic Acid (SARS-CoV-2 RNA) in the tears of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. After laboratory confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, tear samples from both eyes of each patient were collected using conjunctival swab for RT-PCR. Detailed demographic profile, systemic and ocular symptoms, comorbidities, clinical, ancillary, and ocular manifestations were evaluated. Of the 83 patients enrolled in the study, 7 (8.43%) had SARS-CoV-2 RNA detected in the tear samples. Neutrophils' count, C-reactive protein, and D-dimer were higher in patients with SARS-CoV-2 detected in tears than in patients without virus in ocular surface samples. One patient with SARS-CoV-2 in tears showed mild ocular eyelid edema, hyperemia, and chemosis. No relevant ocular manifestations were detected in the other patients. Although the levels of viral RNA on ocular surface samples were low for most patients (5/7), with positivity only for gene N and CT higher than 30, two patients were positive for all viral targets tested (N, E, and RpRd), with viral load near 1 × 10[SUP]5[/SUP] ePFU/mL, indicating that the ocular transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is a possibility that needs to be considered, especially in the hospital environment. Further studies need to be conducted to demonstrate whether infective viral particles could be isolated from tears.
Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; eye infections; viral.
. 2021 Jul 19;15353702211024651.
doi: 10.1177/15353702211024651. Online ahead of print.
Identification of SARS-CoV-2 on the ocular surface in a cohort of COVID-19 patients from Brazil
Matheus S Gasparini[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Leandro M Dos Santos[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ahmad Ma Hamade[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Luísa G Gross[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Arthur P Favarato[SUP] 1 [/SUP], José Pc de Vasconcellos[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Mônica B de Melo[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Pierina L Parise[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Camila L Simeoni[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Natália B Silva[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Marcelo A da Silva Mori[SUP] 5 6 7 [/SUP], André S Vieira[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Alessandro Dos Santos Farias[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Fabiana Granja[SUP] 3 9 [/SUP], Angelica Z Schreiber[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Maria L Moretti[SUP] 7 [/SUP], José L Proença-Modena[SUP] 3 10 [/SUP], Mônica Alves[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34279137
- DOI: 10.1177/15353702211024651
Abstract
In this cross-sectional study, we investigate the presence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Ribonucleic Acid (SARS-CoV-2 RNA) in the tears of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. After laboratory confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, tear samples from both eyes of each patient were collected using conjunctival swab for RT-PCR. Detailed demographic profile, systemic and ocular symptoms, comorbidities, clinical, ancillary, and ocular manifestations were evaluated. Of the 83 patients enrolled in the study, 7 (8.43%) had SARS-CoV-2 RNA detected in the tear samples. Neutrophils' count, C-reactive protein, and D-dimer were higher in patients with SARS-CoV-2 detected in tears than in patients without virus in ocular surface samples. One patient with SARS-CoV-2 in tears showed mild ocular eyelid edema, hyperemia, and chemosis. No relevant ocular manifestations were detected in the other patients. Although the levels of viral RNA on ocular surface samples were low for most patients (5/7), with positivity only for gene N and CT higher than 30, two patients were positive for all viral targets tested (N, E, and RpRd), with viral load near 1 × 10[SUP]5[/SUP] ePFU/mL, indicating that the ocular transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is a possibility that needs to be considered, especially in the hospital environment. Further studies need to be conducted to demonstrate whether infective viral particles could be isolated from tears.
Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; eye infections; viral.