tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Med Virol
. 2021 Mar 25.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.26965. Online ahead of print.
Fetal and placental infection with SARS-CoV-2 in early pregnancy
Mar?a Yolotzin Valdespino-V?zquez[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Cecilia A Helguera-Repetto[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Moises Le?n-Ju?rez[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Oscar Villavicencio-Carrisoza[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Arturo Flores-Pliego[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Elsa Romelia Moreno-Verduzco[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Diana L D?az-P?rez[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Isabel Villegas-Mota[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Elba Carrasco-Ram?rez[SUP] 5 6 [/SUP], Irma Elena L?pez-Mart?nez[SUP] 6 [/SUP], David M Giraldo-G?mez[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Rosalia Lira[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Martha Yocupicio-Monroy[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Mario Rodr?guez-Bosch[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Edgar E Sevilla-Reyes[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Manuel Cort?s-Bonilla[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Sandra Acevedo-Gallegos[SUP] 13 [/SUP], Horacio Merchant-Larios[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Arturo Cardona-P?rez[SUP] 15 [/SUP], Claudine Irles[SUP] 16 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
To date, mother-to-fetus transmission of SARS-CoV-2, responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, remains controversial. Although placental COVID-19 infection has been documented in some cases during the second- and third-trimesters, no reports are available for the first trimester of pregnancy, and no SARS-CoV-2 protein has been found in fetal tissues. We studied the placenta and fetal organs from an early pregnancy miscarriage in a COVID-19 maternal infection by immunohistochemical, RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy methods. SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein, viral RNA, and particles consistent with coronavirus were found in the placenta and fetal tissues, accompanied by RNA replication revealed by double-stranded RNA positive immunostain. Prominent damage of placenta and fetal organs were associated with a hyperinflammatory process identified by histological examination and immunohistochemistry. The findings provided in this study document that congenital SARS-CoV-2 infection is possible during the first trimester of pregnancy and that fetal organs, such as lung and kidney, are targets for coronavirus. The infection and multi-organic fetal inflammation produced by SARS-CoV-2 during early pregnancy should alert clinicians in the assessment and management of pregnant women for possible fetal consequences and adverse perinatal outcomes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: COVID-19; fetus; first trimester; miscarriage; placenta; pregnancy.
. 2021 Mar 25.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.26965. Online ahead of print.
Fetal and placental infection with SARS-CoV-2 in early pregnancy
Mar?a Yolotzin Valdespino-V?zquez[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Cecilia A Helguera-Repetto[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Moises Le?n-Ju?rez[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Oscar Villavicencio-Carrisoza[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Arturo Flores-Pliego[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Elsa Romelia Moreno-Verduzco[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Diana L D?az-P?rez[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Isabel Villegas-Mota[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Elba Carrasco-Ram?rez[SUP] 5 6 [/SUP], Irma Elena L?pez-Mart?nez[SUP] 6 [/SUP], David M Giraldo-G?mez[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Rosalia Lira[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Martha Yocupicio-Monroy[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Mario Rodr?guez-Bosch[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Edgar E Sevilla-Reyes[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Manuel Cort?s-Bonilla[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Sandra Acevedo-Gallegos[SUP] 13 [/SUP], Horacio Merchant-Larios[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Arturo Cardona-P?rez[SUP] 15 [/SUP], Claudine Irles[SUP] 16 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 33764543
- DOI: 10.1002/jmv.26965
Abstract
To date, mother-to-fetus transmission of SARS-CoV-2, responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, remains controversial. Although placental COVID-19 infection has been documented in some cases during the second- and third-trimesters, no reports are available for the first trimester of pregnancy, and no SARS-CoV-2 protein has been found in fetal tissues. We studied the placenta and fetal organs from an early pregnancy miscarriage in a COVID-19 maternal infection by immunohistochemical, RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy methods. SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein, viral RNA, and particles consistent with coronavirus were found in the placenta and fetal tissues, accompanied by RNA replication revealed by double-stranded RNA positive immunostain. Prominent damage of placenta and fetal organs were associated with a hyperinflammatory process identified by histological examination and immunohistochemistry. The findings provided in this study document that congenital SARS-CoV-2 infection is possible during the first trimester of pregnancy and that fetal organs, such as lung and kidney, are targets for coronavirus. The infection and multi-organic fetal inflammation produced by SARS-CoV-2 during early pregnancy should alert clinicians in the assessment and management of pregnant women for possible fetal consequences and adverse perinatal outcomes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: COVID-19; fetus; first trimester; miscarriage; placenta; pregnancy.