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The cornea of the human eye may be resistant to infection with the new coronavirus, suggests a study published in the journal Cell Reports by researchers at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine in St. Louis. Louis, Xinhua informs, according to Agerpres.
Previous research on corneal tissue from humans and mice has shown that the Zika virus can be transmitted through tears. Scientists wanted to know if these tissues could be an entry point for SARS-CoV-2 as well.
They tested eye tissue exposure to various types of viruses and monitored closely to see if they could grow and multiply in the cornea.
Researchers have identified several key substances in corneal tissue that can either stimulate or inhibit viral load growth.
Does the cornea block the virus?
One of the identified inhibitors is called interferon lambda, which effectively prevents the development of the Zika virus and herpes simplex virus within the corneal tissues.
However, in the case of SARS-CoV-2, concentrations of this substance had no effect on the ability of the virus to replicate. The latter simply could not find a way to enter the body, regardless of whether interferon lambda was present or not.
This finding suggests that COVID-19 disease cannot be transmitted by corneal transplant or similar procedures performed in the eyeball.
“Our data suggests that the new coronavirus does not appear to be able to penetrate the cornea,” said Rajendra S. Apte, a professor in the University’s Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences.
Studies must be thorough
However, due to unknown aspects related to the tear ducts and conjunctiva, it is too early to remove the importance of eye protection systems from discussion, say the study authors.
“It is important to respect what the virus can do and we must take appropriate precautions,” said study coordinator Jonathan J. Miner, assistant professor at the School of Medicine, Molecular Microbiology, Pathology and Immunology at the University of Washington in Washington. . St. Louis.
“We may find that eye covering membranes are not necessarily created to protect against infection in the general community, but our studies are just beginning.” We need more clinical studies to help us better understand all possible pathways. transmissions used by SARS-CoV-2, including the eye, “he added.
The study was published in the journal Cell Reports.
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