Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 in tear and conjunctival secretions of hospitalized patients with clinically-confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia

BMC Infectious Diseases

Semsi Nur Karabela¹  Kadriye Kart Yasar¹  Mehmet Ozbas²  Havva Kasikci³  Yunus Karabela⁴ 

[1]Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey

[2]Department of Ophthalmology, Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Bakirkoy, Istanbul, Turkey

[3]Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Bakirkoy, Istanbul, Turkey

[4]Opticianry Program, University of Health Sciences, Uskudar, Istanbul, Turkey

[5]Opticianry Program, Hamidiye Vocational School of Health Services, University of Health Sciences, Mekteb-i Tibbiye-i Sahane (Haydarpasa) Kulliyesi, Selimiye Mah. Tibbiye Cad. No: 38, 34668, Uskudar, Istanbul, Turkey

关键词: Conjunctival swab;    COVID-19;    Nasopharyngeal swab;    Pneumonia;    SARS-CoV-2;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12879-021-06630-6

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to demonstrate the presence of the virus in tear and conjunctival secretions of clinically-confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia patients.MethodsThis prospective study was conducted at Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital (2020/190). Nasopharyngeal and ocular samples were obtained by swab technique and investigated by RT-PCR.ResultsA total of 83 patients were included. The mean age was 61.88 ± 16.04 years. 28.92% of the patients had mild, 65.06% moderate and 6.02% severe pneumonia radiologically. RT-PCR was positive in 31 (37.35%) patients in the first nasopharyngeal swabs and in 19 (22.89%) in the second swabs. 17 of 19 patients had positive both first and second nasopharyngeal swabs; only the second swabs of two patients were positive. The first conjunctival swabs RT-PCR were positive in 5 out of 83 clinically-confirmed patients or 33 laboratory-confirmed patients (rates: 6.02% and 15.15%). There were no positives detected in the second conjunctival swabs.ConclusionsSARS-CoV-2 can be detected in the conjunctival swabs of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.

【 授权许可】

CC BY