Ocular manifestations and viral shedding in tears of pediatric patients with coronavirus disease 2019: a preliminary report

PURPOSE: To evaluate ocular manifestations and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) prevalence in the tears of children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: A total of 27 pediatric patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection hospitalized from March 16 to April 15, 2020, at the Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital were enrolled in the study. At admission, all patients showed ocular manifestations. Reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction from nasopharyngeal and conjunctival swabs were performed every 2-3 days before discharge. RESULTS: Of the 27 patients, 4 (15%) were asymptomatic, 15 (56%) showed respiratory symptoms, and 8 (30%) had gastrointestinal symptoms. At admission, nasopharyngeal swabs were positive for COVID-19 in all patients; on the second swabs, 7 children (26%) tested negative, and 20 remained positive for COVID-19. Ocular manifestations consistent with mild viral conjunctivitis were observed in 4 patients (15%). At first conjunctival swab, 3 patients (11%), 1 symptomatic and 2 asymptomatic for ocular infection, had positive findings for COVID-19; 2 became negative on the second test and 1 on the third. CONCLUSIONS: In our study cohort, ocular manifestations of COVID-19 seem to have had a milder clinical course in pediatric patients than in adults. Despite the low prevalence and rapid regression of viral presence in the conjunctiva, SARS-CoV-2 transmission through tears may be possible, even in patients without apparent ocular involvement.