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Br J Ophthalmol 2004;88:968-969 doi:10.1136/bjo.2003.039461
  • Letter

Tears and conjunctival scrapings for coronavirus in patients with SARS

  1. W M Chan1,
  2. K S C Yuen1,
  3. D S P Fan1,
  4. D S C Lam1,
  5. P K S Chan2,
  6. J J Y Sung3
  1. 1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
  2. 2Department of Microbiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
  3. 3Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
  1. Correspondence to: Professor D S C Lam Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 3/F, Hong Kong Eye Hospital, 147K Argyle Street, Kowloon, Hong Kong; dennislamcuhk.edu.hk
  • Accepted 4 December 2003

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was first recognised in Guangdong Province in China and later in Hong Kong in March 2003.1 Within a matter of weeks, the outbreak has evolved to become a global health threat and almost 30 countries have been afflicted with the novel coronavirus strain (SARS-CoV).2 SARS is a highly contagious potentially lethal disease. The main route of transmission is by respiratory droplets, though the virus has also been isolated in stool and in urine. Tears, being one of the body fluids, may potentially harbour the coronavirus. The presence of viruses in these body fluids may affect our precaution practices and sites of sampling for diagnostic tests.

Case series

A prospective interventional case series study was conducted on the identification of the SARS-CoV virus in tear secretions and conjunctival cells of patients with confirmed SARS. Approval was obtained from the ethics committee of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Consecutive patients with …

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