Schirmer test and conjunctival Swab for SARS-CoV-2 detection

• Grant number: 20/07365-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): September 01, 2020
• Effective date (End): December 18, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Luiz Fernando Manzoni Lourencone
• Grantee: Luís Expedito Sabage
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru (FOB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Bauru , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 22/01956-0 - Schirmer test and conjunctival swab for SARS2-Covid19 detection, BE.EP.IC

Abstract

The World Health Organization recently declared the disease caused by novel SARS-CoV-2 as a pandemic threat and, for its rapidly spread, it has presented a potential risk for overloading health care systems. In some cases, ocular manifestations are one of the firsts symptoms. OBJECTIVE: This study has as objective to identify SARS-CoV-2 in the ocular surface for developing new diagnostic collection sites, clarify the potential ocular mucosa contamination, and demonstrate the necessity for correct individual protection equipment aiming increase health professionals' security. METHODS: This study will be developed in two steps. STEP 1: In this step, literature will be analyzed through Scoping Review using the guiding question "Is it possible to detect the presence of virus in the ocular surface using the Schirmer Method and/or conjunctival Swab?". The PCC strategy - Patient, Concept and Context - was used in order to build the guiding question. The articles are going to be searched in three different databases (PubMed, Web of Science and BVS). Only the articles in English or Portuguese will be included. STEP 2: In this step, tears are going to be collected using Schirmer strips and conjunctival Swab on both eyes of 20 patients older than 18 years and hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit of the ciy with a confirmed by nasopharyngeal Swab diagnosis of Covid19. The samples are going to be analyzed using RT-PCR method in the Pharmacology Laboratory of Bauru Dental School of the University of São Paulo (FOB-USP). Social economic data will be collected from patients' medical records for further analysis and correlations. The results are going to be presented in articles and scientific reports. This project also pretends to strengthen international partnerships to future projects and group coping of SARS-CoV-2. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

LUÍS EXPEDITO SABAGE; ALESSANDRA MAZZO; JOSMAR SABAGE; TAYLOR ENDRIGO TOSCANO OLIVO; CARLOS FERREIRA SANTOS; LUIZ FERNANDO MANZONI LOURENÇONE. Fitas de Schirmer e swab conjunctival para detecção de vírus na superfície ocular de adultos: scoping review. Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia, 2022-03-07. (20/07365-8)