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Existence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA (genomic and subgenomic) in Retina and Optic Nerve of COVID-19 patients

Author: Maximilian Schultheiss (Germany)

Co-authors: Antonia Fitzek, Markus Glatzel, Susanne Krasemann, Susanne Pfefferle, Martin S. Spitzer, Maria Casagrande

Purpose

Evaluation of the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ribonucleic acid (RNA) in human retinal biopsies (RB) and optic nerve biopsies (ONB) in deceased patients with confirmed novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Setting/Venue

Retrospective Study on 14 enucleated eyes of 14 deceased COVID-19 patients.

Methods

Retinal biopsies and ONB were taken during autopsy. Biopsies were assessed by molecular detection of viral RNA, virus cultivation and immunohistochemistry on SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. SARS-CoV-2 RNA loads of RB and ONB were compared to RNA loads of the respective throat-swabs, vitreous humor- and blood samples.

Results

Genomic SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 50% of RB and in 76% of ONB and and subgenomic RNA (sgRNA) in 40% of RB and 60% of ONB. Virus isolation failed and immunohistochemistry of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein was negative in all biopsies.

Conlusions

SARS-CoV-2 RNA exists in RB and ONB of COVID-19 patients. But, as virus isolation failed and immunohistochemistry of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein was negative in all biopsies an active infection of the retina and optic nerve seems unlikely.

Financial Disclosure

Competing interests: All authors declare that there is no actual or potential conflict of in-terest in relation to this article. Financial Support: DEFEAT pandemics angeben: work was partially supported by a grant of the re-search consortium DEFEAT PANDEMics, funded by the Netzwerk Universitätsmedizin (NUM)

Comments

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