Background: As the SARS-CoV-2 virus made a pandemic all over the world, its transmission routes became significant. Transmission from human to human is known, but other possible routes are not determined well.
Aims: This study aimed to reveal the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus in sweat.
Methods: This prospective study was conducted in a tertiary care education and training hospital. Fifty patients were included in this study. Skin disinfection was done with an alcohol-based solution. Swabs for RT-PCR (real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction) were taken from forehead and axilla skin after sweating patients for 30 min. After collection of sweat, swabs were placed into 2 ml of sterile viral transport medium, then transported quickly to the microbiology laboratory.
Results: No SARS-CoV-2 virus was detected in RT-PCR of forehead and axilla swabs.
Conclusion: This study showed that there is no transmission of SARS-CoV-2 virus via sweat. However, general precautions must be taken while doing interventional procedures.
Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Sweat; Transmission.
© 2021. Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland.