No findings of SARS-CoV-2 in conjunctival swabs from patients at an emergency outpatient ophthalmological healthcare facility in a Swedish county hospital: a cross-sectional study
Background COVID-19 is caused by SARS-CoV-2. Virus has been found in conjunctiva of hospitalised patients with COVID-19. Conjunctivitis has also been reported as a presenting symptom of disease.Objective The aims of the study were to investigate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in the conjunctiva and th...
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| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2021-09-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open Ophthalmology |
| Online Access: | https://bmjophth.bmj.com/content/6/1/e000616.full |
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| author | Elisabet Granstam Anders Krifors Elisabeth Freyhult Hanna Åkerblom |
| author_facet | Elisabet Granstam Anders Krifors Elisabeth Freyhult Hanna Åkerblom |
| author_sort | Elisabet Granstam |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background COVID-19 is caused by SARS-CoV-2. Virus has been found in conjunctiva of hospitalised patients with COVID-19. Conjunctivitis has also been reported as a presenting symptom of disease.Objective The aims of the study were to investigate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in the conjunctiva and throat among patients presenting at the emergency outpatient ophthalmological healthcare facility at a county hospital along with investigating the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among staff at the department.Methods and Analysis Swabs from conjunctiva and throat of patients were analysed with real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2. Blood samples for serological analysis were obtained from staff. A questionnaire was used to investigate symptoms associated with COVID-19 during the last 3 months as well as symptoms for which the patients were seeking ophthalmological healthcare.Results In total, 68 patients and 70 individuals from the staff were included in the study. Conjunctivitis was observed in 7% of patients. One patient, presenting with reduced visual acuity due to preretinal haemorrhage in the macula, was positive for SARS-CoV-2 in throat swab. Contact tracing was negative. All other RT-PCR tests were negative. Seropositivity for SARS-CoV-2 was found in 4% of staff.Conclusions Our study demonstrated low prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among patients as well as low seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG-antibodies among staff at the ophthalmological ward. The risk for contracting COVID-19 at the department was small. Follow-up investigation is planned. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-03efa35de1344e6d99bb73973ec88649 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2397-3269 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open Ophthalmology |
| spelling | doaj-art-03efa35de1344e6d99bb73973ec886492025-08-20T02:11:35ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open Ophthalmology2397-32692021-09-016110.1136/bmjophth-2020-000616No findings of SARS-CoV-2 in conjunctival swabs from patients at an emergency outpatient ophthalmological healthcare facility in a Swedish county hospital: a cross-sectional studyElisabet Granstam0Anders Krifors1Elisabeth Freyhult2Hanna Åkerblom3Center for Clinical Research Region Västmanland, Uppsala Universitet, Västerås, SwedenDepartment of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SwedenClinical Microbiology, Region Västmanland, Vasteras, SwedenOphthalmology, Region Västmanland, Västerås, SwedenBackground COVID-19 is caused by SARS-CoV-2. Virus has been found in conjunctiva of hospitalised patients with COVID-19. Conjunctivitis has also been reported as a presenting symptom of disease.Objective The aims of the study were to investigate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in the conjunctiva and throat among patients presenting at the emergency outpatient ophthalmological healthcare facility at a county hospital along with investigating the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among staff at the department.Methods and Analysis Swabs from conjunctiva and throat of patients were analysed with real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2. Blood samples for serological analysis were obtained from staff. A questionnaire was used to investigate symptoms associated with COVID-19 during the last 3 months as well as symptoms for which the patients were seeking ophthalmological healthcare.Results In total, 68 patients and 70 individuals from the staff were included in the study. Conjunctivitis was observed in 7% of patients. One patient, presenting with reduced visual acuity due to preretinal haemorrhage in the macula, was positive for SARS-CoV-2 in throat swab. Contact tracing was negative. All other RT-PCR tests were negative. Seropositivity for SARS-CoV-2 was found in 4% of staff.Conclusions Our study demonstrated low prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among patients as well as low seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG-antibodies among staff at the ophthalmological ward. The risk for contracting COVID-19 at the department was small. Follow-up investigation is planned.https://bmjophth.bmj.com/content/6/1/e000616.full |
| spellingShingle | Elisabet Granstam Anders Krifors Elisabeth Freyhult Hanna Åkerblom No findings of SARS-CoV-2 in conjunctival swabs from patients at an emergency outpatient ophthalmological healthcare facility in a Swedish county hospital: a cross-sectional study BMJ Open Ophthalmology |
| title | No findings of SARS-CoV-2 in conjunctival swabs from patients at an emergency outpatient ophthalmological healthcare facility in a Swedish county hospital: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full | No findings of SARS-CoV-2 in conjunctival swabs from patients at an emergency outpatient ophthalmological healthcare facility in a Swedish county hospital: a cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | No findings of SARS-CoV-2 in conjunctival swabs from patients at an emergency outpatient ophthalmological healthcare facility in a Swedish county hospital: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | No findings of SARS-CoV-2 in conjunctival swabs from patients at an emergency outpatient ophthalmological healthcare facility in a Swedish county hospital: a cross-sectional study |
| title_short | No findings of SARS-CoV-2 in conjunctival swabs from patients at an emergency outpatient ophthalmological healthcare facility in a Swedish county hospital: a cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | no findings of sars cov 2 in conjunctival swabs from patients at an emergency outpatient ophthalmological healthcare facility in a swedish county hospital a cross sectional study |
| url | https://bmjophth.bmj.com/content/6/1/e000616.full |
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