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Postmortem Ultrastructural Analysis of the Retina from COVID-19 Deceased Patients
Carlla A Araujo-Silva1,2,3, Paula M Marinho4,5, Alléxya A A Marcos4,5
1Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Insights
Severe COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) causes significant retinal damage, including hemorrhages and cellular changes. Postmortem analysis reveals the eye
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pathology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, is associated with systemic complications.
- A pro-inflammatory and hypercoagulative state is a common feature, impacting vasculature in various organs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the postmortem retinal pathological changes in patients with severe COVID-19.
- To characterize the ocular manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Main Methods:
- Utilized optical microscopy for postmortem retinal examination.
- Employed transmission and scanning electron microscopy for detailed ultrastructural analysis.
- Examined retinal tissues from five deceased COVID-19 patients.
Main Results:
- Observed clinical manifestations including retinal hemorrhages in all analyzed eyes.
- Detected exacerbated inflammatory infiltrate within retinal layers.
- Identified altered ultrastructure, characterized by swollen mitochondria and pyknotic cells.
Conclusions:
- Severe COVID-19 significantly impacts retinal tissue integrity.
- The findings highlight the fragility of the retina in severe SARS-CoV-2 infections.
- Postmortem ocular pathology provides insights into systemic disease effects.
Purpose:
COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, first reported in 2019 in Wuhan, China. Among the common complications is a pro-inflammatory and hypercoagulative response that compromises the vasculature among various organs.
Methods:
In this report, we present the postmortem retinal findings of five patients observed by means of optical microscopy and transmission and scanning electron microscopy techniques.
Results:
Clinical manifestations such as retinal hemorrhages and exacerbated inflammatory infiltrate, altered ultra structure with swollen mitochondria and pyknotic cells in both layers of the retina were observed in all analyzed eyes.
Conclusion:
Our data point to the fragility of this tissue in cases of severe COVID-19.
