Mahmut Atum1, Ali Altan Ertan Boz1, Burçin Çakır1, Oğuz Karabay2, Mehmet Köroğlu3, Aziz Öğütlü2, Gürsoy Alagöz1. 1. Department of Ophthalmology, Sakarya University Training and Research Hospital , Sakarya, Turkey. 2. Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Sakarya University Training and Research Hospital , Sakarya, Turkey. 3. Department of Microbiology, Sakarya University Training and Research Hospital , Sakarya, Turkey.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The study objective was to identify severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA in conjunctival swabs from patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS: Forty patients who tested positive by real-time reverse transcription (rRT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs were enrolled. Conjunctival swabbing was used to collect the tear and conjunctival secretions of patients. RESULTS: Conjunctival swab rRT-PCR was positive for three patients and negative for 37 patients. Ten of the patients (25%) were diagnosed with conjunctivitis during the ophthalmic examination. Of these patients, one was found positive by conjunctival swab rRT-PCR, and nine were found negative. The difference between patients who tested positive or negative using conjunctival swab rRT-PCR was without statistical significance in terms of the presence of conjunctivitis (p = .720). CONCLUSION: The rate of positivity from conjunctival swab rRT-PCR was 7.5% in patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.
PURPOSE: The study objective was to identify severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA in conjunctival swabs from patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS: Forty patients who tested positive by real-time reverse transcription (rRT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs were enrolled. Conjunctival swabbing was used to collect the tear and conjunctival secretions of patients. RESULTS: Conjunctival swab rRT-PCR was positive for three patients and negative for 37 patients. Ten of the patients (25%) were diagnosed with conjunctivitis during the ophthalmic examination. Of these patients, one was found positive by conjunctival swab rRT-PCR, and nine were found negative. The difference between patients who tested positive or negative using conjunctival swab rRT-PCR was without statistical significance in terms of the presence of conjunctivitis (p = .720). CONCLUSION: The rate of positivity from conjunctival swab rRT-PCR was 7.5% in patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Authors: Amani E Badawi; Sara S Elsheikh; Sarah Zaher Addeen; Mostafa A Soliman; Rami Abd-Rabu; Walid Shaban Abdella; Elham A Gad Journal: J Curr Ophthalmol Date: 2020-12-12
Authors: G Kampf; Y Brüggemann; H E J Kaba; J Steinmann; S Pfaender; S Scheithauer; E Steinmann Journal: J Hosp Infect Date: 2020-09-18 Impact factor: 3.926