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Ocular Involvement of SARS-CoV-2 in a Polish Cohort of COVID-19-Positive Patients

Authors :
Krzysztof Tomasiewicz
Anastazja Boguszewska
Dario Rusciano
Tomasz Wójtowicz
Anna Dworzańska
Wojciech Załuska
Małgorzata Polz-Dacewicz
Mario Damiano Toro
Paola Bagnoli
Joanna Dolar-Szczasny
Izabela Korona-Glowniak
Rafal Sawicki
Robert Rejdak
Dolar-Szczasny, J.
Toro, M. D.
Dworzanska, A.
Wojtowicz, T.
Korona-Glowniak, I.
Sawicki, R.
Boguszewska, A.
Polz-Dacewicz, M.
Tomasiewicz, K.
Zaluska, W.
Rejdak, R.
Bagnoli, P.
Rusciano, D.
Source :
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol 18, Iss 2916, p 2916 (2021), International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Volume 18, Issue 6
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2021.

Abstract

The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 responsible for the current human COVID-19 pandemic has shown tropism toward different organs with variable efficiency, eyes included. The purpose of this study has been to investigate the presence of detectable SARS-CoV-2 infection in ocular swabs in patients affected by COVID-19. A consecutive series of 74 COVID-19-positive patients (age 21–89) were enrolled at two Polish COVID-19 hospitals for 4 months and were characterized by PCR for the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 genetic material in nasopharyngeal (NP) and ocular swabs, while their respiratory and ocular symptoms were noted. Almost 50% of them presented with severe/critical respiratory involvement, and some degree of eye disease. No tight correlation was observed between the presence of ocular and respiratory symptoms. Three male patients presenting with severe/critical lung disease tested positive in ocular swab, however with mild/moderate ocular symptoms. In conclusion, our study lends further support to the view that overt ocular infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus is not such a frequent occurrence.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
16617827 and 16604601
Volume :
18
Issue :
2916
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....a973fc70674be628d09a71c77e26a0bc