Bedeutung der Hornhautorgankultur bei Spendern mit möglicher SARS-CoV-2-Infektion

The appearance of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV‑2) poses challenges in ophthalmology particularly for eye banks. A valid risk assessment for the removal and processing of donor corneas is difficult due to the lack of data. The risk to infect transplant recipients with SARS-CoV‑2 still appears very unlikely due to the experience with severe acute respiratory syndrome -coronavirus(‑1) (SARS-CoV(‑1)) and Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (MERS-CoV); however, due to the occurrence of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors in the cornea an infection of this tissue with SARS-CoV‑2 cannot be completely excluded. Therefore, routine testing of the organ culture medium used for donor corneas for SARS-CoV‑2 prior to transplantation during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) pandemic should be considered.