SARS-CoV-2 RNA Detected in Vitreous Samples Obtained at Autopsy

Marisa Tieger; Upasana Das Adhikari; Shizuo Mukai; Mara Farcasnu; James R Stone; Dean Eliott; Leo A Kim; Douglas S Kwon; Elizabeth J Rossin

doi:10.1177/24741264221083408

SARS-CoV-2 RNA Detected in Vitreous Samples Obtained at Autopsy

J Vitreoretin Dis. 2022 May 25;6(3):183-187. doi: 10.1177/24741264221083408. eCollection 2022 May-Jun.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Harvard Medical School Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA.
² The Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
³ Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
⁴ Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
⁵ Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital. Boston, MA, USA.

Abstract

Purpose: This work aims to examine the vitreous of autopsy patients with COVID-19 for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

Methods: Four deceased patients with COVID-19 had an autopsy at Massachusetts General Hospital. Two control specimens were obtained from patients undergoing retinal detachment repair with negative preoperative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Vitreous specimens were obtained from autopsy patients with COVID-19 after povidone was placed on the ocular surface to decrease the risk of contamination of the vitreous specimen. SARS-CoV-2 RNA for gene N (nucleocapsid) was tested using reverse transcription-PCR.

Results: SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in the vitreous of 2 of 4 autopsy patients who died from complications of COVID-19.

Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 RNA can penetrate into the vitreous of systemically infected patients, which might present risks to operating room personnel during ophthalmic surgical procedures.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; vitreous.

Grants and funding

K12 EY016335/EY/NEI NIH HHS/United States