SARS-CoV-2 Not Detectable in Ocular Specimens of a Patient with a Past Infection

Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 2021 May 19;29(4):681-683. doi: 10.1080/09273948.2021.1894458. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Abstract

Purpose: To present a a case study that aims to investigate the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the ocular tissue samples of a patient previously infected with COVID-19 and determine its transmissibility.Study Design: Case ReportResults: In this case study, SARS-CoV-2 was not detected in the vitreous and uveal tissue samples by RT-PCR for detection of three gene targets in a patient with a past COVID-19 infection 15 days prior to presention with a globe rupture.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that patients with long-term existence of SARS-CoV-2 at low detectable levels may not have active intraocular viral shedding. This is of particular importance as ophthalmic surgical procedures may potentiate virus spread from patients infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; Globe Rupture; Transmission; Viral Shedding.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • COVID-19 / complications
  • COVID-19 / diagnosis
  • COVID-19 / virology*
  • Eye Infections, Viral / diagnosis*
  • Eye Infections, Viral / etiology
  • Eye Infections, Viral / virology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • RNA, Viral / analysis*
  • SARS-CoV-2 / genetics*
  • Specimen Handling
  • Uvea / virology*
  • Virus Shedding
  • Vitreous Body / virology*

Substances

  • RNA, Viral