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The first case of SARS-CoV-2 was identified in samples taken from the eyes of an 11-year-old boy who was sent to the hospital for medical research after spending a long time with an infected adult. Thus, the transmission of the virus through tears is “theoretically possible”, according to Mediafax.
The first case of SARS-CoV-2 was identified in an eye sample from a child. This is the conclusion of a study published in the “European Journal of Ophthalmology” carried out by doctors and researchers from the San Matteo Polyclinic Foundation in Pavia. This is an 11-year-old boy who was sent to the San Matteo pediatric clinic for medical investigations, after prolonged and close contacts with a family member who had Covid-19.
The discovery shows that the transmission of the virus through tears is “theoretically possible”, but “it is not yet clear whether it can be considered an important way of spreading Covid-19″, say the Pavia specialists, quoted by the newspaper ” La Repubblica “.
The director of the pediatric clinic where the boy was hospitalized, Gianluigi Marseglia, said he was asymptomatic, but blood tests showed a slight increase in transaminases and an ultrasound examination of the lungs revealed a slight pleural irregularity. Therefore, a nasopharyngeal test was performed, which came back positive for Covid-19.
Doctors decided to keep him under observation, and a few days after hospitalization, the boy complained of burns to his eyes, prompting doctors to request an ophthalmological evaluation. Sars-CoV-2 was identified in the eye samples.
Between March 26 and May 1, 2020 – said an ophthalmologist – 8 cases with conjunctival tampons were evaluated at the clinic. Sars-CoV-2 was identified in all nasal samples, while only one conjunctival sample was positive.
“To our knowledge, this is the first report on the identification of Sars-CoV-2 in eye samples in a pediatric patient with symptoms, but without signs of ocular involvement. However, although the transmission of tears is theoretically possible, it is not yet it is clear if this can be considered an important route for the spread of Covid-19. “
“These data further broaden the spectrum of organs affected by infection and highlight the importance of eye protection for health workers,” said Fausto Baldanti, director of the San Matteo Molecular Virology Laboratory.
The boy was discharged from the hospital 12 days after hospitalization and placed in quarantine until the results of nasal and eye tests were obtained.
Publisher: AC
