Purpose: To evaluate the possibility of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission through the eyes, particularly through the ocular surface and conjunctival route, as well as the positivity of conjunctival swab test.
Methods: A narrative review was conducted to assess the possibility of COVID-19 transmission and the role of conjunctival swabs in diagnosing COVID-19 patients. Several studies were analyzed to compare the positivity rates and sensitivities of conjunctival swabs versus nasopharyngeal swabs.
Results: Despite the fact that respiratory droplets are the major route of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 transmission, the eyes can potentially serve as an active (via tears) or passive route (via the nasolacrimal duct) of infection. Besides, conjunctival swabs exhibited a low positive rate and sensitivity for detecting COVID-19 compared to nasopharyngeal swabs. While nasopharyngeal swabs typically showed positivity rates between 60% and 100%, conjunctival swabs ranged from showing no detectable evidence to a 57% positivity rate.
Conclusions: Despite the low transmission rate through the eyes, thorough consideration is necessary as ocular transmission cannot be entirely ruled out. Further research and vigilance are warranted to better understand and mitigate potential ocular routes of COVID-19 transmission.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11856114 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/joco.joco_35_24 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Prevalence of Ocular Chlamydia trachomatis and Active Trachoma among Children in Merhabete District, Amhara, Ethiopia.
Am J Trop Med Hyg
March 2025
Francis I Proctor Foundation, University of California, San Francisco, California.
There have been significant reductions in the burden of trachoma worldwide. However, some districts have experienced persistently high trachoma prevalence despite many years of intervention. Here, we report the epidemiology of trachoma in Merhabete, Ethiopia, a district in the Amhara Region that has been receiving azithromycin mass drug administration (MDA) since 2009.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAssociation between glycaemia, tear production and conjunctival bacterial flora in diabetic dogs with cataracts: A preliminary investigation.
Vet Rec
February 2025
Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Chirurgiche e Odontoiatriche-Sez. One Health, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
Background: Ocular complications of diabetes mellitus, such as dry eye and bacterial infection, are thought to be common in dogs, but their actual incidence is unknown. Therefore, we investigated the associations between glycaemia, tear production and conjunctival bacterial flora in diabetic dogs with cataracts.
Methods: The medical records of 30 diabetic dogs with cataracts were retrospectively examined to determine if there was an associations between blood glucose concentration at examination, Schirmer tear test (STT) results and positive bacterial cultures from conjunctival swabs.
Preoperative conjunctival flora and antibiotic susceptibility in cataract surgery patients at Ibn Al-Haitham teaching eye hospital in Baghdad, Iraq.
J Ophthalmic Inflamm Infect
February 2025
Department of surgery, College of Medicine, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq.
Background: Endophthalmitis is a rare but severe eye inflammatory disorder caused by bacterial infection that can occur after cataract surgery. Most bacteria are part of the patient's natural flora, and even with antibiotic treatment, it causes considerable ocular morbidity and vision loss.
Purpose: To investigate the preoperative conjunctival flora and their antibiotic susceptibility in patients undergoing cataract surgery at Ibn Al-Haitham Teaching Eye Hospital, a tertiary ophthalmology center in Baghdad, Iraq.
Exploring the Ocular Transmission Potential of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 and the Assessment of Conjunctival Swab Test Results: A Concise Review.
J Curr Ophthalmol
January 2025
Eye Research Center, Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Purpose: To evaluate the possibility of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission through the eyes, particularly through the ocular surface and conjunctival route, as well as the positivity of conjunctival swab test.
Methods: A narrative review was conducted to assess the possibility of COVID-19 transmission and the role of conjunctival swabs in diagnosing COVID-19 patients. Several studies were analyzed to compare the positivity rates and sensitivities of conjunctival swabs versus nasopharyngeal swabs.
Characterization of Conjunctival Microflora and Antibiotic Sensitivity Patterns in Patients Undergoing Cataract Surgery.
Microorganisms
January 2025
Eye Clinic, Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, Italy.
This study aims to characterize the conjunctival flora of patients scheduled for cataract surgery and determine the susceptibility profile of isolated bacteria to several commonly used topical antibiotics. Conjunctival swabs were taken from 44 consecutive patients (25 males, 19 females; mean age of 75.0 ± 12.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!