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Natural protection of ocular surface from viral infections - A hypothesis.
Med Hypotheses. 2020 Oct; 143:110082.MH

Abstract

A pandemic outbreak of a viral respiratory infection (COVID-19) caused by a coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) prompted a multitude of research focused on various aspects of this disease. One of the interesting aspects of the clinical manifestation of the infection is an accompanying ocular surface viral infection, viral conjunctivitis. Although occasional reports of viral conjunctivitis caused by this and the related SARS-CoV virus (causing the SARS outbreak in the early 2000s) are available, the prevalence of this complication among infected people appears low (~1%). This is surprising, considering the recent discovery of the presence of viral receptors (ACE2 and TMPRSS2) in ocular surface tissue. The discrepancy between the theoretically expected high rate of concurrence of viral ocular surface inflammation and the observed relatively low occurrence can be explained by several factors. In this work, we discuss the significance of natural protective factors related to anatomical and physiological properties of the eyes and preventing the deposition of large number of virus-loaded particles on the ocular surface. Specifically, we advance the hypothesis that the standing potential of the eye plays an important role in repelling aerosol particles (microdroplets) from the surface of the eye and discuss factors associated with this hypothesis, possible ways to test it and its implications in terms of prevention of ocular infections.

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Authors+Show Affiliations

Zimmerman K
Department of Ophthalmology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
Kearns F
Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
Tzekov R
Department of Ophthalmology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA; Department of Medical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA. Electronic address: rtzekov@usf.edu.

MeSH

AerosolsAir MicrobiologyBetacoronavirusCOVID-19Conjunctivitis, ViralCoronavirus InfectionsEyeHumansMembrane PotentialsModels, BiologicalOcular Physiological PhenomenaPandemicsParticle SizePneumonia, ViralSARS-CoV-2Static Electricity

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

32679424

Citation

Zimmerman, Keith, et al. "Natural Protection of Ocular Surface From Viral Infections - a Hypothesis." Medical Hypotheses, vol. 143, 2020, p. 110082.
Zimmerman K, Kearns F, Tzekov R. Natural protection of ocular surface from viral infections - A hypothesis. Med Hypotheses. 2020;143:110082.
Zimmerman, K., Kearns, F., & Tzekov, R. (2020). Natural protection of ocular surface from viral infections - A hypothesis. Medical Hypotheses, 143, 110082. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2020.110082
Zimmerman K, Kearns F, Tzekov R. Natural Protection of Ocular Surface From Viral Infections - a Hypothesis. Med Hypotheses. 2020;143:110082. PubMed PMID: 32679424.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Natural protection of ocular surface from viral infections - A hypothesis. AU - Zimmerman,Keith, AU - Kearns,Fiona, AU - Tzekov,Radouil, Y1 - 2020/07/09/ PY - 2020/06/28/received PY - 2020/07/04/accepted PY - 2020/7/18/pubmed PY - 2020/10/21/medline PY - 2020/7/18/entrez KW - Bioaerosols KW - COVID-19 KW - Coronavirus KW - SARS KW - SARS-CoV-1 KW - SARS-CoV-2 KW - Standing potential of the eye SP - 110082 EP - 110082 JF - Medical hypotheses JO - Med Hypotheses VL - 143 N2 - A pandemic outbreak of a viral respiratory infection (COVID-19) caused by a coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) prompted a multitude of research focused on various aspects of this disease. One of the interesting aspects of the clinical manifestation of the infection is an accompanying ocular surface viral infection, viral conjunctivitis. Although occasional reports of viral conjunctivitis caused by this and the related SARS-CoV virus (causing the SARS outbreak in the early 2000s) are available, the prevalence of this complication among infected people appears low (~1%). This is surprising, considering the recent discovery of the presence of viral receptors (ACE2 and TMPRSS2) in ocular surface tissue. The discrepancy between the theoretically expected high rate of concurrence of viral ocular surface inflammation and the observed relatively low occurrence can be explained by several factors. In this work, we discuss the significance of natural protective factors related to anatomical and physiological properties of the eyes and preventing the deposition of large number of virus-loaded particles on the ocular surface. Specifically, we advance the hypothesis that the standing potential of the eye plays an important role in repelling aerosol particles (microdroplets) from the surface of the eye and discuss factors associated with this hypothesis, possible ways to test it and its implications in terms of prevention of ocular infections. SN - 1532-2777 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/32679424/Natural_protection_of_ocular_surface_from_viral_infections___A_hypothesis_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -