Ocular COVID-19: Eyes as a reservoir to conceal and spread SARS-CoV-2

Authors

Abdul Mannan Baig, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Saara Ahmad, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Areeba Khaleeq, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Hamna Rafique, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Shafiqa Rajput, Aga Khan University
Meher Angez, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Ayesha Nasir Hameed, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Talha Nawaz, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Preet Katyara, Aga Khan UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Department

Biological and Biomedical Sciences

Abstract

Ocular tissues can serve as a reservoir for the SARS-CoV-2 virus which can not only cause conjunctivitis but also serve as a resource of infection transmission to others. Additionally, the eye and its tear drainage apparatus can track the SARS-CoV-2 from the eye into the respiratory tract of the patient. The potential ocular presence of the SARS-CoV-2 in the eye of a patient can target ACE2 receptors in the endothelium of the conjunctival vessels and use the lacrimal sac a potential space to evade immune detection and clinical isolation. The recently reported case of COVID-19 after the acquisition of SARS-CoV-2 from a COVID-19 patient should alert the healthcare professionals dealing with COIVD-19 patients as wear-ing masks alone cannot guarantee protection against infection transmission. Further studies, like isolation of SARS-CoV-2 from the eyes of patients with COVID-19, needed to identify the eyes as a potential source of SARS-CoV-2 infection trans-mission.

Comments

Volume, issue, and pagination are not provided by the author/publisher

Publication (Name of Journal)

Infectious Disorders Drug Targets

Recommended Citation

Baig, A. M., Ahmad, S., Khaleeq, A., Rafique, H., Rajput, S., Angez, M., Hameed, A. N., Nawaz, T., Katyara, P. (2020). Ocular COVID-19: Eyes as a reservoir to conceal and spread SARS-CoV-2. Infectious Disorders Drug Targets.
Available at: https://ecommons.aku.edu/pakistan_fhs_mc_bbs/876