tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Am J Ophthalmol
. 2024 Apr 23:S0002-9394(24)00149-1.
doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2024.04.008. Online ahead of print. Prevalence, patterns, and predictors of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and culturable virus in tears of case-ascertained household cohort
Matthew So[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sarah A Goldberg[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Scott Lu[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Miguel Garcia-Knight[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Michelle C Davidson[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Michel Tassetto[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Victoria Wong Murray[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Khamal Anglin[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Jesus Pineda-Ramirez[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Jessica Y Chen[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Paulina R Rugart[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Eugene T Richardson[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Melissa Briggs Hagen[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Claire M Midgley[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Raul Andino[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Gerami D Seitzman[SUP] 10 [/SUP], John Gonzales[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Michael J Peluso[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Jeffrey N Martin[SUP] 7 [/SUP], J Daniel Kelly[SUP] 12 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Purpose: To investigate the prevalence, patterns, and predictors of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and culturable virus in tears of case-ascertained household cohort.
Design: Prospective, longitudinal case-ascertained household cohort identified through convenience sampling.
Methods: This analysis was restricted to individuals who were non-hospitalized, symptomatic, and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by nasal RT-PCR. Tears and anterior nasal biospecimens were serially collected throughout the acute period. Tears specimens were collected by the study staff using Schirmer test strips, and nasal specimens were self-collected. For both, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was quantified using qRT-PCR and culturable virus was detected using presence of cytopathic effect (CPE) in tissue culture; positive CPE was confirmed by a qRT-PCR step. A series of cross-sectional unadjusted analyses were performed investigating the relationship between different sociodemographic determinants and biological factors associated with tears RNA positivity.
Results: Among the 83 SARS-CoV-2 infected participants, ten (12%) had at least one RNA positive tears specimen. Amongst these ten, five (50%) had concurrent presence of culturable virus, at a median of 7 days post symptom onset (IQR: 4-7 days) (absolute range: 4-8 days).
Conclusions: In this longitudinal cohort, we found evidence of culturable virus in the tears of a small proportion of non-hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals. Current public health infection precautions do not account for transmission via tears, so these findings may improve our understanding of potential sources of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and contribute to developing future guidelines.
Keywords: COVID-19; Culturable; Non-hospitalized; RNA Detection; SARS-CoV-2; Tears.
. 2024 Apr 23:S0002-9394(24)00149-1.
doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2024.04.008. Online ahead of print. Prevalence, patterns, and predictors of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and culturable virus in tears of case-ascertained household cohort
Matthew So[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sarah A Goldberg[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Scott Lu[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Miguel Garcia-Knight[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Michelle C Davidson[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Michel Tassetto[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Victoria Wong Murray[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Khamal Anglin[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Jesus Pineda-Ramirez[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Jessica Y Chen[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Paulina R Rugart[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Eugene T Richardson[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Melissa Briggs Hagen[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Claire M Midgley[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Raul Andino[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Gerami D Seitzman[SUP] 10 [/SUP], John Gonzales[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Michael J Peluso[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Jeffrey N Martin[SUP] 7 [/SUP], J Daniel Kelly[SUP] 12 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 38663502
- DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2024.04.008
Purpose: To investigate the prevalence, patterns, and predictors of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and culturable virus in tears of case-ascertained household cohort.
Design: Prospective, longitudinal case-ascertained household cohort identified through convenience sampling.
Methods: This analysis was restricted to individuals who were non-hospitalized, symptomatic, and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by nasal RT-PCR. Tears and anterior nasal biospecimens were serially collected throughout the acute period. Tears specimens were collected by the study staff using Schirmer test strips, and nasal specimens were self-collected. For both, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was quantified using qRT-PCR and culturable virus was detected using presence of cytopathic effect (CPE) in tissue culture; positive CPE was confirmed by a qRT-PCR step. A series of cross-sectional unadjusted analyses were performed investigating the relationship between different sociodemographic determinants and biological factors associated with tears RNA positivity.
Results: Among the 83 SARS-CoV-2 infected participants, ten (12%) had at least one RNA positive tears specimen. Amongst these ten, five (50%) had concurrent presence of culturable virus, at a median of 7 days post symptom onset (IQR: 4-7 days) (absolute range: 4-8 days).
Conclusions: In this longitudinal cohort, we found evidence of culturable virus in the tears of a small proportion of non-hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals. Current public health infection precautions do not account for transmission via tears, so these findings may improve our understanding of potential sources of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and contribute to developing future guidelines.
Keywords: COVID-19; Culturable; Non-hospitalized; RNA Detection; SARS-CoV-2; Tears.