SARS-CoV-2 in Conjunctiva and Tears and Ocular Symptoms of Patients with COVID-19.
Teresa Rodríguez-AresDavid Lamas-FrancisMercedes TreviñoDaniel NavarroMaría CeaMaría Jesús López-ValladaresLaura MartínezFrancisco Gude SampedroRosario TouriñoPublished in: Vision (Basel, Switzerland) (2021)
This study investigates the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in conjunctival secretions and tears and evaluates ocular symptoms in a group of patients with COVID-19. We included 56 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in this cross-sectional cohort study. Conjunctival secretions and tears were collected using flocked swabs and Schirmer strips for SARS-CoV-2 reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Assessment of ocular surface manifestations included an OSDI (Ocular Surface Disease Index) questionnaire. Patients had been admitted to hospital for an average of 2.4 days (range 0-7) and had shown general symptoms for an average of 7.1 days (range 1-20) prior to ocular testing. Four (7.1%) of 56 conjunctival swabs and four (4%) of 112 Schirmer strips were positive for SARS-CoV-2. The mean E-gene cycle threshold values (Ct values) were 31.2 (SD 5.0) in conjunctival swabs and 32.9 (SD 2.7) in left eye Schirmer strips. Overall, 17 (30%) patients presented ocular symptoms. No association was found between positive ocular samples and ocular symptoms. This study shows that SARS-CoV-2 can be detected on the conjunctiva and tears of patients with COVID-19. Contact with the ocular surface may transmit the virus and preventive measures should be taken in this direction.
Keyphrases
- sars cov
- respiratory syndrome coronavirus
- cross sectional
- ejection fraction
- newly diagnosed
- rotator cuff
- healthcare
- optic nerve
- emergency department
- sleep quality
- gene expression
- magnetic resonance imaging
- depressive symptoms
- patient reported outcomes
- magnetic resonance
- contrast enhanced
- drug induced
- dual energy
- physical activity