Investigation of the Presence of Coronavirus and Variants in External Ear Swabs of Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019

Objective: To investigate the presence of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in the earwax/cerumen of patients diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019.

Methods: A total of 50 patients with a diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (with a positive result) were included in the study. Swab samples were taken from the external ear canal (cerumen) of the patients with a coronavirus disease 2019 test kit by an otolaryngologist. The samples were sent to the coronavirus disease 2019 diagnostic laboratory to evaluate the presence of coronavirus disease 2019 RNA and which variant it was.

Results: Coronavirus disease 2019 RNA was positive in only 1 of the external ear canal samples (2%) of 50 patients diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019. In the variant evaluation, this patient sample was evaluated as a coronavirus disease 2019 UK variant (B.1.1.7-GR/501Y.V1). Also, the UK variant was detected in 9 of 50 patients with a positive polymerase chain reaction test from nasopharyngeal swabs.

Conclusion: Most procedures performed in otolaryngology and audiology clinics (cerumen cleaning, hearing, and vestibular tests) require contact with cerumen. In our study, it is thought that the detection of coronavirus disease 2019 (2%) in the samples taken from the external ear canal will increase the transmission potential of the disease. Employees need to be more careful. We also suggest a more comprehensive study with a larger patient population and novel variants.

Cite this article as: Çetin Kara H, Kara Peker S, Karaman E, et al. Investigation of the presence of coronavirus and variants in external ear swabs of patients with coronavirus disease 2019. Arch Health Sci Res. 2023;10(2):115-119.