Bilateral multifocal chorioretinitis as the only presentation of acute West Nile virus infection: a case report.

BACKGROUND: To describe a case of bilateral multifocal chorioretinitis as the only presentation of acute West Nile virus (WNV) infection in the absence of neurological involvement. CASE PRESENTATION: A 78-year-old Italian woman was admitted to our emergency department because she noticed blurry vision in both eyes. She did not report fever, fatigue, or neurological symptoms in the last few days. Multimodal imaging showed the presence of bilateral hyperfluorescent lesions with a linear distribution, that corresponded to hypocyanescent spots on indocyanine green angiography. Antibody serology showed the presence of IgM antibodies, IgG antibodies, and ribonucleic acid (RNA) for WNV. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain ruled out central nervous system involvement. Three months later, the patient reported spontaneous resolution of her symptoms and remission of the chorioretinal infiltrates. CONCLUSIONS: In endemic areas, it is important to think of acute WNV infection as an explanatory etiology in cases of multifocal chorioretinitis, even without neurological involvement.

Long-term surgical outcome and impact on daily life activities of strabismus surgery in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy with and without previous orbital decompression.

BACKGROUNDS: To report the long-term surgical outcomes and the impact on daily life activities of strabismus surgery in patients with Thyroid Associated Orbitopathy (TAO) with and without previous orbital decompression. METHODS: Patients who underwent strabismus surgery for TAO were retrospectively reviewed. The primary outcome was to evaluate the influence of orbital decompression on the outcomes of TAO related strabismus surgery. Surgical success was defined by the resolution of diplopia and a post-operative deviation < 10 prism diopters (PD). The secondary outcomes were the clinical features, surgical approaches, and impact on daily life activities. RESULTS: A total of 45 patients were included in the study. The decompression surgery group (DS) included 21 patients (46.7%), whereas the non-decompression surgery group (NDS) patients were 24 (53.3%). The mean follow-up time from the last strabismus surgery was 2,8 years (range 8-200 months). Successful surgical outcome was achieved in 57,1% of patients in the DS, and 75% of patients in the NDS (p = 0,226). DS patients required almost twice the number of surgical interventions for strabismus compared to the NDS (1,95 vs. 1,16 respectively, p = 0,006), a higher number of extraocular muscles recessed in the first surgery (2,67 vs. 1,08 respectively, p < 0.001), and a lower rate of unidirectional surgery compared to NDS (23% vs. 95%, p < 0,001). At the pre-operative assessment, 71.4% of DS patients had eso-hypotropia, while no patients had this type of strabismus in the NDS group (p < 0.001). On the other hand, the hypotropia rate was 79.2% in NDS patients and only 4.8% in DS patients (p < 0.001). Moreover, 21,8% of NDS patients used prism lenses in daily life activities, compared to 42.9% of patients that used prism lenses to reduce the impairment in their daily life activities (p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study showed that DS patients required almost twice the number of strabismus surgical procedures, a higher number of extraocular muscles recessed in the first surgery, and an increased need for prism lenses to correct the residual deviation compared to the NDS, but with similar long-term surgical outcomes.

In vivo assessment of the ocular biomechanical properties in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.

PURPOSE: Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is associated with an increased prevalence of open-angle glaucoma, attributed to variations of the pressure gradient between intraocular and intracranial compartments at the level of the lamina cribrosa (LC). As ocular biomechanics influence the behavior of the LC, and a lower corneal hysteresis (CH) has been associated to a higher risk of glaucomatous optic nerve damage, in this study we compared ocular biomechanics of iNPH patients with healthy subjects. METHODS:  Twenty-four eyes of 24 non-shunted iNPH patients were prospectively recruited. Ocular biomechanical properties were investigated using the ocular response analyzer (Reichert Instruments) for the calculation of the CH, corneal resistance factor (CRF), Goldmann-correlated intraocular pressure (IOPg), and corneal-compensated intraocular pressure (IOPcc). Results were compared with those of 25 eyes of 25 healthy subjects. RESULTS:  In iNPH eyes, the median CH value and interquartile range (IQR) were 9.7 mmHg (7.8-10) and 10.6 mmHg (9.3-11.3) in healthy controls (p = 0.015). No significant differences were found in IOPcc [18.1 mmHg (14.72-19.92) vs. 16.4 mmHg (13.05-19.6)], IOPg [15.4 mmHg (12.82-19.7) vs. 15.3 mmHg (12.55-17.35)], and CRF [9.65 mmHg (8.07-11.65) vs. 10.3 mmHg (9.3-11.5)] between iNPH patients and controls. CONCLUSIONS:  In iNPH patients, the CH was significantly lower compared to healthy subjects. This result suggests that ocular biomechanical properties may potentially contribute to the risk of development of glaucomatous optic nerve damage in iNPH patients.

Choroidal morphology and microvascular structure in eyes of patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus before and after ventriculo-peritoneal shunt surgery.

The present study aims to investigate the choroidal morphology and microvascular structure in eyes of patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) compared with the eyes of healthy age-matched individuals, and to assess the choroidal structure in eyes of iNPH patients before and after shunt surgery using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). The primary objective was to assess the choroidal morphology in eyes of iNPH patients before and after ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) surgery compared to age and sex-matched healthy individuals. The secondary objective was to compare the choroidal morphology of iNPH patients before and after a mean of 56 days from shunt surgery. Eighteen consecutive patients diagnosed with iNPH and 18 healthy controls were prospectively recruited between November 2021 and October 2022. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) with enhanced depth imaging (EDI) was conducted before and within 4 months after shunt surgery. Images were binarized using the ImageJ software, and the choroidal vascular index (CVI) was calculated. Sub-foveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), total choroidal area (TCA), luminal choroidal area (LCA), and stromal choroidal area (SCA) were significantly increased in iNPH patients before surgery compared to the control group (p < 0.05). SFCT, TCA, and SCA were significantly increased in iNPH patients after surgery compared to the control group (p < 0.05). There were no differences in the CVI between iNPH patients and controls. No statistical differences in the choroidal structure were observed before and after VP shunt surgery (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the choroid was thicker in iNPH patients before and after VP shunt compared to age-matched healthy individuals. However, there were no difference in the choroidal microstructure in the eyes of iNPH patients before and after a mean of 3 months from VP shunt surgery.

Epidemiology, clinical features, and surgical outcomes of acute acquired concomitant esotropia associated with myopia.

PURPOSE: To analyze epidemiology, clinical features, and surgical outcomes of type III acute acquired concomitant esotropia (Bielschowsky esotropia (BE)). METHODS: The medical charts of patients diagnosed with acquired concomitant esotropia between 2013 and 2021 were reviewed. Assessed data were age, gender, age at diplopia onset, age at the diagnosis, refraction, visual acuity, neuroimaging, diplopia onset, angle of deviation, stereopsis, surgical procedure, amount of surgery, and relapse of diplopia after surgery. Moreover, we investigated the correlation between the use of electronic devices and the onset of diplopia. RESULTS: One hundred seventeen patients (mean age 35.07 ± 15.81 years) were included in the study. The mean delay to the diagnosis was 3.29 ± 3.62 years. Myopia range was 0 to 17 diopters spherical equivalent. 66,3% spent more than 4 hours a day using laptops, tablets, or smartphones at the onset of diplopia, and 90,6% presented a subacute onset. None showed neurologic signs or symptoms. Patients who underwent surgery were ninety-three, with a rate of surgical success of 93.6%, and a relapse rate of 17.2%. A negative correlation resulted between pre-operative deviation and age at diagnosis (ρ = -0.261; p<0.05), whereas factors associated with surgical failure were older age at diplopia onset (p = 0.042) and longer delay between onset and diagnosis (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: We registered an outstanding increase in prevalence of BE, which could be related to the exponential increase in the use of electronic devices for professional, educational, and recreational purposes. A prompt diagnosis and an augmented dose of surgery allows good motor and sensory results.

AAPOS Adult Strabismus Committee's Report on the Status of Adult Strabismus Telemedicine.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the utility of telemedicine in the treatment of adult patients with strabismus. METHODS: A 27-question online survey was sent to ophthalmologists of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) Adult Strabismus Committee. The questionnaire focused on the frequency of telemedicine utilization, the benefits in the diagnosis, follow-up, and treatment of adult strabismus, and barriers of current forms of remote patient visits. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 16 of 19 members of the committee. Most respondents (93.8%) reported 0 to 2 years of experience with telemedicine. Telemedicine was found to be useful for initial screening and follow-up of established patients with adult strabismus, mainly to reduce wait time for a subspecialist visit (46.7%). A successful telemedicine visit could be completed with a basic laptop (73.3%) or a camera (26.7%) or could be assisted by an orthoptist. Most participants agreed that common forms of adult strabismus (cranial nerve palsies, sagging eye syndrome, myogenic strabismus, and thyroid ophthalmopathy) could be examined via webcam. It was easier to analyze horizontal than vertical strabismus. Among the paralytic forms, sixth nerve palsy was the easiest one to assess. Latent forms of strabismus can be partially diagnosed and evaluated using telemedicine, but half of the respondents underlined the importance of in-person examinations in these cases. Sixty-nine percent believed that telemedicine could be a low-cost and time-efficient health service solution. CONCLUSIONS: Most members of the AAPOS Adult Strabismus Committee consider telemedicine to be a useful supplement to the current adult strabismus practice. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2023;60(6):386-389.].

The upcoming role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for retinal and glaucomatous diseases.

In recent years, the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning (DL) models is attracting increasing global interest in the field of ophthalmology. DL models are considered the current state-of-art among the AI technologies. In fact, DL systems have the capability to recognize, quantify and describe pathological clinical features. Their role is currently being investigated for the early diagnosis and management of several retinal diseases and glaucoma. The application of DL models to fundus photographs, visual fields and optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging has provided promising results in the early detection of diabetic retinopathy (DR), wet age-related macular degeneration (w-AMD), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and glaucoma. In this review we analyze the current evidence of AI applied to these ocular diseases, as well as discuss the possible future developments and potential clinical implications, without neglecting the present limitations and challenges in order to adopt AI and DL models as powerful tools in the everyday routine clinical practice.

Evaluation of peripapillary vascular flow in patients with Thyroid-Associated Ophthalmopathy (TAO) by OCT Angiography.

PURPOSE: To evaluate changes in peripapillary vascular blood flow indices (PVBFI) in patients with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) using OCT angiography (OCTA) technology. METHODS: Patients with TAO and control subjects matched for age and sex were included in the study. Eye examination, Clinical Activity Score (CAS) evaluation and OCTA scan analysis (Topcon ImageNet 6; DRI OCT Triton, Topcon Corporation) were performed. In particular, PVBFI of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), outer retina (OR) and choriocapillaris (CC) layers were obtained by OCTA and extracted from 8-bit greyscale OCT images using the ImageJ software package. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients with TAO (19 females, mean age 54.7 ± 5.2 and 7 males, mean age 51.4 ± 16.3) were compared with 26 healthy subjects (15 females, mean age 48.2 ± 14.1 and 11 males, mean age 53.1 ± 15.2). Both DCP-PVBF and CC-PVBFI were significantly reduced in TAO patients compared to control eyes (28.6 ± 2.1 vs. 29.7 ± 0.93, p = 0.002; 46.5 ± 1.72 vs. 47.2 ± 1.2, p = 0.019 respectively); on the other hand, no statistically significant differences were found in SCP-PVBFI and OR-PVBFI in TAO patients compared to healthy subjects (p > 0.05). Also, CC-PVBFI was associated with elevated values of CAS (p = 0.018) and ROC curve showed that patients with elevated CC-PVBFI were correlated with active TAO (CAS > 3) (p = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: TAO disease may be associated with changes in DCP-PVBFI and CC-PVBFI; also, CC-PVBFI seems to correlate with disease activity.

Evaluation of macular blood flow after intermittent intravenous infusion of high-dose corticosteroids (pulse therapy) in patients with thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO) using angio-OCT.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the changes in macular blood flow index (BFI) in patients with moderate to severe thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO) before and after pulse therapy and their relationship with clinical features and disease activity using angio-OCT technology. METHODS: We analyzed twenty-four eyes. Every patient underwent a complete eye examination and angio-OCT analysis (OCT Topcon ImageNet 6; DRI OCT Triton, Topcon Corporation) before (T0) and two months (T2) after pulse therapy. We analyzed macular vascular blood flow in four angiographic levels: superficial plexus (SP), deep plexus (DP), external retina (ER), and choriocapillaris (CC). We used the clinical activity score (CAS) score to define TAO as moderate or severe. RESULTS: Macular BFI significantly increased at T2 in the DP, ER, and CC (p < 0.01). CAS score (5.8 ± 0.8 vs. 3.9 ± 0.9, p < 0.01) and Hertel exophthalmometry values (22.6 ± 2.3 mm vs. 21.2 ± 2,5 mm, p < 0.01) improved for all patients at T2 compared T0. Mean IOP increased from 13.3 ± 2.8 mmHg to 14.3 ± 2.1 mmHg (p < 0.01). No correlation was found between CAS score and macular BFI in all the analyzed levels. CONCLUSIONS: Pulse therapy treatment can change macular BFI. In particular, two months alter pulse therapy, all the patients show an increase in macular vascular blood flow in each angiographic level. According to our results, angio-OCT analysis of the macular BFI may be a useful tool in the follow-up of TAO patients after pulse therapy.

Publication Rate of Abstracts Presented at AAPOS Annual Meetings: From Conference Abstract to Full-Text Article.

PURPOSE: To review and analyze abstracts presented at American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) annual meetings, and to identify publication rates and potential predictive factors for better outcomes. METHODS: All abstracts accepted for presentation at AAPOS annual meetings from 2013 to 2017 were examined. A comprehensive literature search via PubMed and Scopus was conducted to identify whether the abstracts had been published as full text. A multivariate analysis was achieved to assess the factors related to successful publication, and a Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to evaluate the publication time course of abstracts. RESULTS: Of 819 analyzed abstracts, 437 (53%) were published in peer-reviewed journals with a median impact factor of 2.7. The overall mean time to publication was 3 ± 2.2 years. The multivariate analysis revealed that abstracts were more likely to be published if they were accepted at an AAPOS annual meeting as an oral paper (P < .001), if they were prospective (P > .001) and multicenter (P = .013) studies, and if they had strabismus, retina, and vitreous disorders and diagnosis as main topics (P = .022). The Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed significant differences in the publication time distribution for multicenter versus single-center abstracts and paper versus poster and e-poster (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the abstracts accepted for presentation at the AAPOS annual meetings were published in peer-reviewed journals within 3 years from submission to the meeting. The factors associated with a higher publication rate were the prospective study design, multicentricity, and presentation at the meeting as an oral paper. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 20XX;XX(X):XX-XX.].

Binocular treatment for amblyopia: A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: To date, there is still no consensus regarding the effect of binocular treatment for amblyopia. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to summarize the available evidence to determine whether binocular treatment is more effective than patching in children with amblyopia. METHODS: Four electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) were searched for studies that compared binocular treatment and patching in children with amblyopia. The outcome measures were visual acuity and stereopsis. Pooled effects sizes were calculated with a random-effect model. The standardized difference in means (SDM) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was calculated. Sensitivity analysis and assessment of publication bias were performed. RESULTS: Five randomized clinical trials were included. No significant difference in visual acuity between patients treated with binocular treatment and patching was observed (SDM = -0.12; 95% CI: -0.45-0.20; P = 0.464). No significant difference in stereopsis between patients treated with binocular treatment and patching was observed (SDM = -0.07; 95% CI: -0.61-0.48; P = 0.809). For both variables, the between-study heterogeneity was high (respectively, I2 = 61% and I2 = 57%). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis found no convincing evidence supporting the efficacy of binocular treatment as an alternative to conventional patching. Therefore, the binocular treatment cannot fully replace traditional treatment but, to date, it can be considered a valid complementary therapy in peculiar cases. Further studies are required to determine whether more engaging therapies and new treatment protocols are more effective.

Basal cell carcinoma of the eyelid margin: Dermoscopic clues in a case series.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) can sometimes affect the eyelids and in particular the eyelid margin, where it can often be misdiagnosed, mimicking other benign, more common diseases. Dermoscopy may provide additional diagnostic criteria for an earlier diagnosis of eyelid margin BCC, although the dermoscopic features of BCC affecting this anatomical site have seldom been reported. We highlight the peculiar presence of linear vessels perpendicular to the eyelid margin in BCCs of the eyelid margin. Our article represents the first report of these dermoscopic findings in a series of BCCs of the eyelid margin.

Crossing the Death Valley of publication process in cornea and ocular surface diseases: from abstracts presented at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology annual meeting to full-text manuscripts / Atravessando o Vale da Morte do processo de publicação sobre doenças da córnea e da superfície ocular: de resumos apresentados no Encontro Anual da Associação de Pesquisa em Visão e Oftalmologia até artigos completos

ABSTRACT Purpose: This study was conducted to analyze the profile and publication rate of abstracts in indexed journals presented in the cornea section at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting and to further identify potential predictive factors for better outcomes. Methods: Abstracts accepted for presentation at the 2013 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting in the cornea section were sought via PubMed and Scopus to identify whether they had been published as full-text manuscripts. First author's name, time of publication, journal's name, and impact factor were recorded. A multivariate regression was performed to explore the association between variables and both the likelihood of publication and the journal's impact factor. A Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to evaluate the time course of publication of abstracts. Results: Of the 939 analyzed abstracts, 360 (38.3%) were published in journals with a median impact factor of 3.4. The median time interval between abstract submission and article publication was 22 months. The multivariate analysis revealed that abstracts were more likely to be published if they were funded (OR=1.482, p=0.005), had a control group (OR=1.511, p=0.016), and had a basic science research scope (OR=1.388, p=0.020). The journal's impact factor was higher in funded studies (β=0.163, p=0.002) but lower in multicenter studies (β=-0.170, p=0.001). The Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed significant differences in the publication time distribution for basic science vs clinical abstracts (χ2=7.636), controlled vs uncontrolled studies (χ2=6.921), and funded vs unfunded research (χ2=13.892) (p<0.05). Conclusion: Almost 40% of Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology abstracts were published within 5 years from submission. Funding support, basic research scope, and controlled design were the determinants of better outcomes of publication.(AU)

RESUMO Objetivo: Analisar o perfil e a taxa de publicação em periódicos indexados de resumos apresentados na seção de córnea da reunião anual da Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology - ARVO, para identificar potenciais fatores preditivos com objetivo de obter melhores resultados. Métodos: Artigos que foram aceitos para apresentação no encontro anual da Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology - ARVO 2013 na seção de córnea foram pesquisados via PubMed e Scopus para identificar se haviam sido publicados como manuscritos com texto integral. Nome do primeiro autor, data de publicação, nome da revista e fator de impacto foram registrados. Foi feita uma regressão multivariada para estabelecer uma associação entre as variáveis e a chance de publicação e o fator de impacto da revista. Foi utilizado o método Kaplan-Meier para analisar o tempo da apresentação até a publicação dos artigos. Resultados: Dos 939 artigos analisados, 360 (38.3%) foram publicados em revistas com um fator de impacto médio de 3.4. O intervalo de tempo entre a submissão do resumo e a publicação do artigo teve como mediana 22 meses. Na análise multivariada, resumos tinham mais chance de publicação se tinham algum tipo de financiamento (OR=1.482, p=0.005), tinham grupo controle (OR=1.511, p=0.016) e estavam no âmbito da pesquisa científica básica (OR+1.388, p=0.020). O fator de impacto da revista era maior em estudos financiados (β=0.163, p=0.002) e mais baixo naqueles multicêntricos (β=-0.170, p=0.001). A análise Kaplan-Meier mostrou diferenças significativas na distribuição de tempo até a publicação de resumos de ciência básica vs clínicos (χ2=7.636), com grupo controle vs sem grupo controle (χ2=6.921) e financiados vs não financiados (χ2=13.892) (p<0.05). Conclusão: Aproximadamente 40% dos resumos apresentados no encontro da Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology - ARVO foram publicados dentro de 5 anos da submissão. Financiamento, pesquisa no âmbito da ciência básica e presença de grupo controle foram fatores determinantes para melhores resultados em relação à chance de publicação.(AU)

Crossing the Death Valley of publication process in cornea and ocular surface diseases: from abstracts presented at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology annual meeting to full-text manuscripts.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to analyze the profile and publication rate of abstracts in indexed journals presented in the cornea section at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting and to further identify potential predictive factors for better outcomes. METHODS: Abstracts accepted for presentation at the 2013 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting in the cornea section were sought via PubMed and Scopus to identify whether they had been published as full-text manuscripts. First author's name, time of publication, journal's name, and impact factor were recorded. A multivariate regression was performed to explore the association between variables and both the likelihood of publication and the journal's impact factor. A Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to evaluate the time course of publication of abstracts. RESULTS: Of the 939 analyzed abstracts, 360 (38.3%) were published in journals with a median impact factor of 3.4. The median time interval between abstract submission and article publication was 22 months. The multivariate analysis revealed that abstracts were more likely to be published if they were funded (OR=1.482, p=0.005), had a control group (OR=1.511, p=0.016), and had a basic science research scope (OR=1.388, p=0.020). The journal's impact factor was higher in funded studies (ß=0.163, p=0.002) but lower in multicenter studies (ß=-0.170, p=0.001). The Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed significant differences in the publication time distribution for basic science vs clinical abstracts (χ2=7.636), controlled vs uncontrolled studies (χ2=6.921), and funded vs unfunded research (χ2=13.892) (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Almost 40% of Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology abstracts were published within 5 years from submission. Funding support, basic research scope, and controlled design were the determinants of better outcomes of publication.

Dual lateral flow optical/chemiluminescence immunosensors for the rapid detection of salivary and serum IgA in patients with COVID-19 disease.

To accurately diagnose COVID-19 infection and its time-dependent progression, the rapid, sensitive, and noninvasive determination of immunoglobulins A specific to SARS-CoV-2 (IgA) in saliva and serum is needed to complement tests that detect immunoglobulins G and M. We have developed a dual optical/chemiluminescence format of a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) immunosensor for IgA in serum and saliva. A recombinant nucleocapsid antigen specifically captures SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in patient specimens. A labelled anti-human IgA reveals the bound IgA fraction. A dual colorimetric and chemiluminescence detection enables the affordable and ultrasensitive determination of IgA to SARS-CoV-2. Specifically, a simple smartphone-camera-based device measures the colour signal provided by nanogold-labelled anti-human IgA. For the ultrasensitive chemiluminescence transduction, we used a contact imaging portable device based on cooled CCD, and measured the light signal resulting from the reaction of the HRP-labelled anti-human IgA with a H2O2/luminol/enhancers substrate. A total of 25 serum and 9 saliva samples from infected and/or recovered individuals were analysed by the colorimetric LFIA, which was sensitive and reproducible enough for the semi-quantification of IgA in subjects with a strong serological response and in the early stage of COVID-19 infection. Switching to CL detection, the same immunosensor exhibited higher detection capability, revealing the presence of salivary IgA in infected individuals. For the patients included in the study (n = 4), the level of salivary IgA correlated with the time elapsed from diagnosis and with the severity of the disease. This IgA-LFIA immunosensor could be useful for noninvasively monitoring early immune responses to COVID-19 and for investigating the diagnostic/prognostic utility of salivary IgA in the context of large-scale screening to assess the efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.