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Presence of viral RNA of SARS-CoV-2 in conjunctival swab specimens of COVID-19 patients.
Indian J Ophthalmol. 2020 06; 68(6):1015-1017.IJ

Abstract

Purpose

To detect the presence of viral RNA of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in conjunctival swab specimens of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) patients.

Methods

Forty-five COVID-19 patients positive for real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal swab with or without ocular manifestations were included in the study. The conjunctival swab of each patient was collected by an ophthalmologist posted for COVID duty.

Results

Out of 45 patients, 35 (77.77%) were males and the rest were females. The mean age was 31.26 ± 12.81 years. None of the patients had any ocular manifestations. One (2.23%) out of 45 patients was positive for RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 in the conjunctival swab.

Conclusion

This study shows that SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in conjunctival swabs of confirmed cases of COVID-19 patients. Though the positivity rate of detecting SARS-CoV-2 in conjunctival swabs is very less, care should be exercised during the ocular examination of patients of COVID-19.

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Publisher Full Text

Authors+Show Affiliations

Kumar K
Department of Ophthalmology, Minto Ophthalmic Hospital, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Prakash AA
Department of Ophthalmology, Minto Ophthalmic Hospital, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Gangasagara SB
Department of Ophthalmology, Minto Ophthalmic Hospital, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Rathod SBL
Department of Ophthalmology, Minto Ophthalmic Hospital, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Ravi K
Department of Medicine, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Rangaiah A
Department of Microbiology, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Shankar SM
Department of Microbiology, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Basawarajappa SG
Department of Microbiology, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Bhushan S
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Neeraja TG
Department of Ophthalmology, Minto Ophthalmic Hospital, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Khandenahalli S
Department of Ophthalmology, Minto Ophthalmic Hospital, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Swetha M
Department of Ophthalmology, Minto Ophthalmic Hospital, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Gupta P
Department of Ophthalmology, Minto Ophthalmic Hospital, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Sampritha UC
Department of Ophthalmology, Minto Ophthalmic Hospital, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Prasad GNS
Department of Ophthalmology, Minto Ophthalmic Hospital, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Jayanthi CR
Department of Pharmacology, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

MeSH

AdolescentAdultBetacoronavirusChildClinical Laboratory TechniquesConjunctivitis, ViralCoronavirus InfectionsFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNasal CavityPandemicsPharynxPneumonia, ViralProspective StudiesRNA, ViralReal-Time Polymerase Chain ReactionSpecimen HandlingYoung Adult

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

32461418

Citation

Kumar, Kiran, et al. "Presence of Viral RNA of SARS-CoV-2 in Conjunctival Swab Specimens of COVID-19 Patients." Indian Journal of Ophthalmology, vol. 68, no. 6, 2020, pp. 1015-1017.
Kumar K, Prakash AA, Gangasagara SB, et al. Presence of viral RNA of SARS-CoV-2 in conjunctival swab specimens of COVID-19 patients. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2020;68(6):1015-1017.
Kumar, K., Prakash, A. A., Gangasagara, S. B., Rathod, S. B. L., Ravi, K., Rangaiah, A., Shankar, S. M., Basawarajappa, S. G., Bhushan, S., Neeraja, T. G., Khandenahalli, S., Swetha, M., Gupta, P., Sampritha, U. C., Prasad, G. N. S., & Jayanthi, C. R. (2020). Presence of viral RNA of SARS-CoV-2 in conjunctival swab specimens of COVID-19 patients. Indian Journal of Ophthalmology, 68(6), 1015-1017. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijo.IJO_1287_20
Kumar K, et al. Presence of Viral RNA of SARS-CoV-2 in Conjunctival Swab Specimens of COVID-19 Patients. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2020;68(6):1015-1017. PubMed PMID: 32461418.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Presence of viral RNA of SARS-CoV-2 in conjunctival swab specimens of COVID-19 patients. AU - Kumar,Kiran, AU - Prakash,Akshata A, AU - Gangasagara,Suresh Babu, AU - Rathod,Sujatha B L, AU - Ravi,K, AU - Rangaiah,Ambica, AU - Shankar,Sathyanarayan Muthur, AU - Basawarajappa,Shantala Gowdara, AU - Bhushan,Shashi, AU - Neeraja,T G, AU - Khandenahalli,Srinivas, AU - Swetha,M, AU - Gupta,Priyam, AU - Sampritha,U C, AU - Prasad,Guru N S, AU - Jayanthi,Chakravarthy Raghunathan, PY - 2020/5/29/entrez PY - 2020/5/29/pubmed PY - 2020/6/6/medline KW - Conjunctival swab KW - SARS-CoV-2 KW - coronavirus disease-19 KW - nasopharyngeal swab SP - 1015 EP - 1017 JF - Indian journal of ophthalmology JO - Indian J Ophthalmol VL - 68 IS - 6 N2 - Purpose: To detect the presence of viral RNA of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in conjunctival swab specimens of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) patients. Methods: Forty-five COVID-19 patients positive for real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal swab with or without ocular manifestations were included in the study. The conjunctival swab of each patient was collected by an ophthalmologist posted for COVID duty. Results: Out of 45 patients, 35 (77.77%) were males and the rest were females. The mean age was 31.26 ± 12.81 years. None of the patients had any ocular manifestations. One (2.23%) out of 45 patients was positive for RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 in the conjunctival swab. Conclusion: This study shows that SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in conjunctival swabs of confirmed cases of COVID-19 patients. Though the positivity rate of detecting SARS-CoV-2 in conjunctival swabs is very less, care should be exercised during the ocular examination of patients of COVID-19. SN - 1998-3689 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/32461418/Presence_of_viral_RNA_of_SARS_CoV_2_in_conjunctival_swab_specimens_of_COVID_19_patients_ L2 - http://www.ijo.in/article.asp?issn=0301-4738;year=2020;volume=68;issue=6;spage=1015;epage=1017;aulast=Kumar DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -