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Scientists have warned that the Corona virus can enter the body through the eyes and that tears can spread the infection.
The results of the study, conducted by a team at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, came after people with the disease complained of eye irritation and conjunctivitis.
The virus has the ability to bind to cells in the body known as ACE receptors.
The receptors are found in the lungs and respiratory system, but scientists have found that the eye also produces ACE-2, making it a target.
During the epidemic period, the scientists said that different researchers reported “the presence of the virus in the samples of tears and conjunctiva in a subset of patients with COFED 19”.
They added: “It is possible that the surface of the eye can act as an entrance through exposure to flying drops or contact with the hand and the eye. Similarly, the surface of the eye can be an important reservoir of the virus, which can be transmitted to other people”.
To test this theory, the team took epithelial samples from the cornea, obtained from healthy patients with myopia, extracted proteins from the cornea and dried it with the antibody.
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TMPRSS2 is known as a key protein for preparing the coronavirus, and helps it enter the body by holding on to the ACE2 protein.
In their report, the team said limited studies were done regarding the transmission of the virus through the eyes, and said they found ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression in all of the human eye samples that were analyzed. They revealed that the virus was particularly prominent in the conjunctiva and cornea. These results indicate that the ocular surface is already susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Furthermore, the presence of a virus in eye surveys indicates that it is present in the eye for 27 days after initial symptoms.
The team noted that other studies have been conducted regarding the transmission of the infection through the eyes, and said that other studies have claimed that there is no clear evidence for this.
However, the team said this may be due to a different form of the test and the quality of the tissue sample used.
Scientists explained that the presence of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in conjunctival and corneal epithelial cells supports the surface of the eye as a secondary site of infection after the respiratory system, or perhaps as a primary entrance to the body.
The team also added that their findings highlight the importance of maintaining personal hygiene during the epidemic, and said that the wider community needs to follow hygiene practices and that this was more relevant to ophthalmologists who still work.
Source: The Sun
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