Purpose:
To evaluate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the conjunctival swab sample of positive confirmed COVID-19 patients and to find out its association with comorbidity and severity of COVID-19 disease.
Methods:
We conducted an observational cross-sectional study at a dedicated tertiary COVID-19 hospital in central India for a period of 8 weeks from February 2021to March 2021. We included patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA through nasopharyngeal swab and were above 18 years of age. Swab samples have been collected within 48 h of admission. Conjunctival swab was taken from the lower fornix of both eyes and sent to microbiology laboratory for real-time- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
Results:
Out of 150 patients, conjunctival swab RT-PCR was positive in five patients (3.33%). Two patients had conjunctival manifestations in the form of conjunctivitis but conjunctival swab RT-PCR was negative in those patients. Among the RT-PCR positive patients, two (40%) were from mild, one (20%) was from moderate, and two (40%) were from severe category. No association could be established between conjunctival swab RT-PCR positivity and severity of the disease or associated comorbidity.
Conclusion:
Our study provides evidence that SARS-CoV-2 RNA could be detected in conjunctival secretions, and though the risk is relatively low, the eye may act as source of transmission. Extra caution should be taken by healthcare workers, and use of proper precautions like face shields and goggles should be encouraged.
OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of cases of endophthalmitis developing Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and managed with vitreoretinal surgery, their clinical profile, factors responsible for retinal detachment and the predictive factors for the final outcome. SETTING: Vivekanand Netralaya, Lions NAB Eye hospital, Miraj. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a retrospective nonrandomized case series involving 57 consecutive cases of post endophthalmitis Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment. 168 cases of endophthalmitis that were managed were reviewed. Amongst these cases 57 developed rhegmatogrnous RD at various stages of presentation and management. All these cases were managed by Parsplana vitrectomy with Fluid Ggas Exchange with endolaser and silicon oil/C3F8 implantation. RESULTS: 168 cases of endophthalmitis (90-posttraumatic/ 72-postoperative/ 6 endogenous), were managed of which 33.92% developed Retinal Detachment. Of the patients with RD 24.6% it was noted post vitrectomy surgery for endophthalmitis in the rest it was noted pre or intraoperative. CONCLUSION: Factors compatible with good visual outcome were macula on RD (68%), PVD induction (56%), and also the cases with silicon oil tamponade, breaks and retinal detachment noted introperatively (During vitrectomy for endophthalmitis) fared much better. With better surgical techniques, availability of antimicrobials, long acting tamponading agents the vitreoretinal surgical results are encouraging, can be even better if intervened early.
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