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Zhu F, Zhao Y, Wu J, Wang M, Zhu Z, Zhang L. Post-COVID-19 Fetal Cardiac Morphology and Systolic Evaluation in Infected Pregnant Women by Fetal Heart Quantification Technology. JOURNAL OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE 2024; 43:1199-1209. [PMID: 38465462 DOI: 10.1002/jum.16444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Due to the government's liberalization of epidemic control, the current 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has started to spread widely within China. This study aimed to use the fetal heart quantification (fetal HQ) technique to assess the cardiac function and morphology of the fetuses of pregnant women diagnosed with COVID-19 in the early stages of pregnancy. METHODS Exactly 86 pregnant women diagnosed with COVID-19 infection in early pregnancy (COVID-19 group) and 90 healthy pregnant women (control group) who underwent fetal echocardiography were prospectively included in this study. The fetal HQ technique was applied to compare the differences in the global sphericity index (GSI), global strain values (GS), fractional area change (FAC), and 24-segment fractional shortening (FS) of the left and right ventricles, between the COVID-19 group and the control group. RESULTS Compared with the control group, the differences in GS and 24-segment FS of the left ventricle in the COVID-19 group were not statistically significant. However, the COVID-19 group showed lower GSI values compared with the control group (1.24 vs 1.28). FAC (48.12%) of the left ventricle and GS (-23.55%), FAC (41.74%) of the right ventricle in the COVID-19 group were reduced compared with FAC (50.50%) of the left ventricle and GS (-27.63%), FAC (46.01%) of the right ventricle in the control group. Segmental analysis revealed reduced FS in segments 20-24 in the COVID-19 group compared with the control group. Right ventricular GS was an independent predictor of adverse pregnancy outcome with an optimal cutoff value of -18.66%. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that COVID-19 infection in early pregnancy may have a negative impact on fetal cardiac morphology and function. Fetal HQ may offer a new assessment method for the early identification of fetal cardiac alterations in pregnant women infected with COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feihu Zhu
- Ultrasonic Department, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University (Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Henan Province), Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yueshu Zhao
- Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University (Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Henan Province), Zhengzhou, China
| | - Juan Wu
- Ultrasonic Department, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University (Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Henan Province), Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ming Wang
- Ultrasonic Department, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University (Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Henan Province), Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ziqi Zhu
- Ultrasonic Department, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University (Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Henan Province), Zhengzhou, China
| | - Lingling Zhang
- Ultrasonic Department, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University (Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Henan Province), Zhengzhou, China
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Tartaglia S, Di Ilio C, Romanzi F, Moresi S, Nardi E, Bevilacqua E, Arena V, Lanzone A. Effects of SARS-Cov-2 mRNA vaccine on placental histopathology: Comparison of a population of uncomplicated COVID-19 positive pregnant women. Placenta 2024; 149:64-71. [PMID: 38527377 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
1. INTRODUCTION This study investigates the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on placental histopathology in pregnant women, comparing outcomes between vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals. Despite known adverse pregnancy outcomes linked to SARS-CoV-2 infection, the specific effects on the placenta remain unclear. Although vaccination has demonstrated a substantial reduction in infection severity, its impact on placental health requires more insight. 2. METHODS Between March 2021 and July 2022, 387 COVID-19-positive women were admitted for delivery. Of these, 98 with non-severe symptoms were analyzed: 35 vaccinated during pregnancy, and 63 non-vaccinated. Two independent pathologists evaluated all placental specimens. 3. RESULTS The only differing obstetrical characteristic between groups was the mode of delivery (p 0.047), lacking clinical implications. Over 85% of placentas exhibited microscopic abnormalities, predominantly maternal vascular supply disorders (vaccinated 89.1%; unvaccinated 85.5%). Comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated groups revealed statistically significant differences, notably in increased focal perivillous fibrin deposits (IFPFD) [17.1% vs. 33.3% (p 0.04)] and avascular fibrotic villi (AFV) [0% vs. 11.1% (p 0.04)]. Binomial logistic regression confirmed the vaccine's protective role against IFPFD (aOR 0.36; 95%CI 013-0.99) and AVF (aOR 0.06, 95% CI 0.003-0.98). A sub-analysis in vaccinated women showed a positive correlation between the timing of the first dose and IFPFD presence (p 0.018). 4. DISCUSSION The lower incidence of maternal and fetal vascular malperfusion placental features in vaccinated women, coupled with the timing correlation, supports the vaccine's protective effect on placental tissue in COVID-19-infected pregnant patients. Notably, no side effects were reported post-vaccination, emphasizing the vaccine's safety and advocating for its secure administration in pregnant populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvio Tartaglia
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Dipartimento di Scienza della Salute della Donna e del Bambino e di Sanità Pubblica, 00168, Rome, Italy; Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
| | - Chiara Di Ilio
- Istituto di Clinica Ostetrica e Ginecologica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Romanzi
- Istituto di Clinica Ostetrica e Ginecologica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Sascia Moresi
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Dipartimento di Scienza della Salute della Donna e del Bambino e di Sanità Pubblica, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Eleonora Nardi
- Section of Anatomic Pathology, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Elisa Bevilacqua
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Dipartimento di Scienza della Salute della Donna e del Bambino e di Sanità Pubblica, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Arena
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, unità di Gineco-patologia e Patologia Mammaria, Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute della Donna e del Bambino e di Sanità Pubblica, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Lanzone
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Dipartimento di Scienza della Salute della Donna e del Bambino e di Sanità Pubblica, 00168, Rome, Italy; Istituto di Clinica Ostetrica e Ginecologica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
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3
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Delle Chiaie L, Stolpner I, Dettmer MS, Baltz-Ghahremanpour K. Acute placental insufficiency two weeks after an asymptomatic COVID-19 maternal infection: the deleterious effects of the SARS-CoV-2 placentitis. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2024; 309:723-726. [PMID: 36912992 PMCID: PMC10009343 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-023-06991-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Loredana Delle Chiaie
- Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Klinikum Stuttgart-Olgahospital/Frauenklinik, Kriegsbergstraße 62, 70174, Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Ilona Stolpner
- Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Klinikum Stuttgart-Olgahospital/Frauenklinik, Kriegsbergstraße 62, 70174, Stuttgart, Germany
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4
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Fredriksson L, Tidholm Qvist E, Sirotkina M, Pettersson K, Papadogiannakis N. Placental pathology in a large (Swedish) cohort of SARS-CoV-2 infected mothers. Placenta 2024; 145:100-106. [PMID: 38118226 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2023.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION SARS-CoV-2 placentitis is associated with placental destruction and insufficiency and can affect perinatal outcome. The aim of the current study was to contribute with increased knowledge regarding placental histology in maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection during the pregnancy, as well as the correlation to the severity of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection. MATERIAL AND METHODS This retrospective observational study included 116 women who had a verified SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy and gave birth between April 2020 and February 2022 in the Stockholm region, Sweden. Placental tissue was evaluated regarding several histopathological parameters, amongst them detection of the triad of characteristics of placental SARS-CoV-2 infection: chronic histiocytic intervillositis, fibrin deposition and villous trophoblast necrosis, and immunohistochemistry for ORF-3 protein expression was used for confirmation. Medical records were reviewed for maternal characteristics and neonatal outcome. RESULTS SARS-CoV-2 placentitis was present in one-fifth of the examined placentas admitted to the institute due to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection, out of which 86,4 % were delivered by acute caesarian section (ACS), all on fetal indication, and one pregnancy ended in stillbirth. Half of the cases without placentitis were delivered by ACS, out of which 50 % were on fetal indication. There was a clear tendency of a shorter time gap between confirmed maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection and delivery in the placentitis group. DISCUSSION The presence of SARS-CoV-2 placentitis does not seem to correlate with maternal factors or the severity of infection. It does correlate with development of placental dysfunction of acute/subacute onset and is often manifested as reduced fetal movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Fredriksson
- Department of Women's Health, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Evelina Tidholm Qvist
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Cancer Diagnostics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Meeli Sirotkina
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Cancer Diagnostics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karin Pettersson
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nikos Papadogiannakis
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Cancer Diagnostics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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5
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Debelenko L. SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Late Pregnancy and Childbirth from the Perspective of Perinatal Pathology. J Dev Biol 2023; 11:42. [PMID: 37987372 PMCID: PMC10660738 DOI: 10.3390/jdb11040042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
This review focuses on SARS-CoV-2 infection in placental and fetal tissues. Viremia is rare in infected pregnant women, and the virus is seldom amplified from placental tissues. Definite and probable placental infection requires the demonstration of viral RNA or proteins using in situ hybridization (ISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Small subsets (1.0-7.9%, median 2.8%) of placentas of SARS-CoV-2-positive women showed definite infection accompanied by a characteristic histopathology named SARS-CoV-2 placentitis (SP). The conventionally accepted histopathological criteria for SP include the triad of intervillositis, perivillous fibrin deposition, and trophoblast necrosis. SP was shown to be independent of the clinical severity of the infection, but associated with stillbirth in cases where destructive lesions affecting more than 75% of the placental tissue resulted in placental insufficiency and severe fetal hypoxic-ischemic injury. An association between maternal thrombophilia and SP was shown in a subset of cases, suggesting a synergy of the infection and deficient coagulation cascade as one of the mechanisms of the pathologic accumulation of fibrin in affected placentas. The virus was amplified from fetal tissues in approximately 40% of SP cases, but definite fetal involvement demonstrated using ISH or IHC is exceptionally rare. The placental pathology in SARS-CoV-2-positive women also includes chronic lesions associated with placental malperfusion in the absence of definite or probable placental infection. The direct viral causation of the vascular malperfusion of the placenta in COVID-19 is debatable, and common predispositions (hypertension, diabetes, and obesity) may play a role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larisa Debelenko
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University-Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
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6
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Chen J, Neil JA, Tan JP, Rudraraju R, Mohenska M, Sun YBY, Walters E, Bediaga NG, Sun G, Zhou Y, Li Y, Drew D, Pymm P, Tham WH, Wang Y, Rossello FJ, Nie G, Liu X, Subbarao K, Polo JM. A placental model of SARS-CoV-2 infection reveals ACE2-dependent susceptibility and differentiation impairment in syncytiotrophoblasts. Nat Cell Biol 2023; 25:1223-1234. [PMID: 37443288 PMCID: PMC10415184 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-023-01182-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 infection causes COVID-19. Several clinical reports have linked COVID-19 during pregnancy to negative birth outcomes and placentitis. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms underpinning SARS-CoV-2 infection during placentation and early pregnancy are not clear. Here, to shed light on this, we used induced trophoblast stem cells to generate an in vitro early placenta infection model. We identified that syncytiotrophoblasts could be infected through angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Using a co-culture model of vertical transmission, we confirmed the ability of the virus to infect syncytiotrophoblasts through a previous endometrial cell infection. We further demonstrated transcriptional changes in infected syncytiotrophoblasts that led to impairment of cellular processes, reduced secretion of HCG hormone and morphological changes vital for syncytiotrophoblast function. Furthermore, different antibody strategies and antiviral drugs restore these impairments. In summary, we have established a scalable and tractable platform to study early placental cell types and highlighted its use in studying strategies to protect the placenta.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Chen
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - J A Neil
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - J P Tan
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - R Rudraraju
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - M Mohenska
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Y B Y Sun
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - E Walters
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Adelaide Centre for Epigenetics, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- South Australian Immunogenomics Cancer Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - N G Bediaga
- Adelaide Centre for Epigenetics, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- South Australian Immunogenomics Cancer Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - G Sun
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Y Zhou
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Y Li
- Implantation and Pregnancy Research Laboratory, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - D Drew
- Infectious Diseases and Immune Defences Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - P Pymm
- Infectious Diseases and Immune Defences Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - W H Tham
- Infectious Diseases and Immune Defences Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Y Wang
- Implantation and Pregnancy Research Laboratory, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - F J Rossello
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- University of Melbourne Centre for Cancer Research, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - G Nie
- Implantation and Pregnancy Research Laboratory, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - X Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China
- Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - K Subbarao
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - J M Polo
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
- Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
- Adelaide Centre for Epigenetics, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
- South Australian Immunogenomics Cancer Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
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Jeong Y, Kim MA. The coronavirus disease 2019 infection in pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obstet Gynecol Sci 2023; 66:270-289. [PMID: 37194243 PMCID: PMC10375217 DOI: 10.5468/ogs.22323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak which started in December 2019 rapidly developed into a global health concern. Pregnant women are susceptible to respiratory infections and can experience adverse outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis compared pregnancy outcomes according to COVID-19 disease status. The MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant articles published between December 1, 2019, and October 19, 2022. Main inclusion criterion was any population-based, cross-sectional, cohort, or case-control study that assessed pregnancy outcomes in women with or without laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. Sixty-nine studies including 1,606,543 pregnant women (39,716 [2.4%] diagnosed with COVID-19) were retrieved. COVID-19-infected pregnant women had a higher risk of preterm birth (odds ratio [OR], 1.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.42-1.78), preeclampsia (OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.30-1.53), low birth weight (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.30-1.79), cesarean delivery (OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.10-1.30), stillbirth (OR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.39-2.10), fetal distress (OR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.54-4.03), neonatal intensive care unit admission (OR, 2.33; 95% CI, 1.72-3.16), perinatal mortality (OR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.15-3.34), and maternal mortality (OR, 6.15; 95% CI, 3.74-10.10). There were no significant differences in total miscarriage, preterm premature rupture of membranes, postpartum hemorrhage, cholestasis, or chorioamnionitis according to infection. This review demonstrates that COVID-19 infection during pregnancy can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes. This information could aid researchers and clinicians in preparing for another pandemic caused by newly discovered respiratory viruses. The findings of this study may assist with evidence-based counseling and help clinicians manage pregnant women with COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeonsong Jeong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Min-A Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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Kallol S, Martin-Sancho L, Morey R, Aisagbonhi O, Pizzo D, Meads M, Chanda SK, Soncin F. Activation of the Interferon Pathway in Trophoblast Cells Productively Infected with SARS-CoV-2. Stem Cells Dev 2023; 32:225-236. [PMID: 36803114 PMCID: PMC10171947 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2022.0255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy has been associated with poor maternal and neonatal outcomes and placental defects. The placenta, which acts as a physical and immunological barrier at the maternal-fetal interface, is not established until the end of the first trimester. Therefore, localized viral infection of the trophoblast compartment early in gestation could trigger an inflammatory response resulting in altered placental function and consequent suboptimal conditions for fetal growth and development. In this study, we investigated the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection in early gestation placentae using placenta-derived human trophoblast stem cells (TSCs), a novel in vitro model, and their extravillous trophoblast (EVT) and syncytiotrophoblast (STB) derivatives. SARS-CoV-2 was able to productively replicate in TSC-derived STB and EVT, but not undifferentiated TSCs, which is consistent with the expression of SARS-CoV-2 entry host factors, ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) and TMPRSS2 (transmembrane cellular serine protease) in these cells. In addition, both TSC-derived EVT and STB infected with SARS-CoV-2 elicited an interferon-mediated innate immune response. Combined, these results suggest that placenta-derived TSCs are a robust in vitro model to investigate the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the trophoblast compartment of the early placenta and that SARS-CoV-2 infection in early gestation activates the innate immune response and inflammation pathways. Therefore, placental development could be adversely affected by early SARS-CoV-2 infection by directly infecting the developing differentiated trophoblast compartment, posing a higher risk for poor pregnancy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sampada Kallol
- Department of Pathology; Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences; University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine; Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences; University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Laura Martin-Sancho
- Immunity and Pathogenesis Program, Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Robert Morey
- Department of Pathology; Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences; University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine; Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences; University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences; University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Omonigho Aisagbonhi
- Department of Pathology; Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences; University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Donald Pizzo
- Department of Pathology; Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences; University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Morgan Meads
- Department of Pathology; Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences; University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine; Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences; University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Sumit K. Chanda
- Immunity and Pathogenesis Program, Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Francesca Soncin
- Department of Pathology; Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences; University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine; Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences; University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
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9
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Damman E, Trecourt A, de la Fournière B, Lebreton F, Gaillot-Durand L, Fichez A, Chauvy L, Thonnon C, Destras G, Devouassoux-Shisheboran M, Allias F. Predictive factors for severe placental damage in pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Placenta 2023; 136:1-7. [PMID: 36963271 PMCID: PMC10022462 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2023.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION SARS-Cov-2 infection during pregnancy can lead to severe placental lesions characterized by massive perivillous fibrin deposition, histiocytic intervillositis and trophoblast necrosis. Diffuse placental damage of this kind is rare, but can sometimes lead to obstetric complications, such as intrauterine fetal death (IUFD). The objectives of this study were to identify possible predictors of severe placental lesions. METHODS We retrospectively studied 96 placentas from SARS-Cov-2 positive pregnant women who gave birth between March 2020 and March 2022. Cases with and without severe placental lesions were compared in terms of clinical and laboratory findings. RESULTS Twelve of the 96 patients had severe placental lesions. There was no significant association with diabetes, obesity or severe clinical maternal disease. In contrast, presence of severe placental lesions was significantly associated with neonatal intensive care, cesarean section, prematurity, IUFD, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), gestational age, maternal hypofibrinogenemia and thrombocytopenia. No cases of severe placental lesions were observed in vaccinated patients or in those with the Omicron variant. DISCUSSION In these patients, severe placental lesions due to SARS-Cov-2 were significantly associated with the presence of coagulation abnormalities (hypofibrinogenemia and thrombocytopenia), IUGR and gestational age. These results support laboratory and ultrasound monitoring of these parameters in pregnant women with SARS-Cov-2 infection, especially during the second trimester, to predict potential negative fetal outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Damman
- Medipath Montpellier, 80 rue de Pythagore, 34170, Castelnau-Le-Lez, France
| | - Alexis Trecourt
- Department of Pathology, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, 165 chemin du Grand-Revoyet, 69310, Pierre-Bénite, France
| | - Benoit de la Fournière
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hospices civils de Lyon, Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, 103 Grande Rue de la Croix-Rousse, 69004, Lyon, France
| | - Frédérique Lebreton
- Department of Pathology, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, 165 chemin du Grand-Revoyet, 69310, Pierre-Bénite, France
| | - Lucie Gaillot-Durand
- Department of Pathology, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, 165 chemin du Grand-Revoyet, 69310, Pierre-Bénite, France
| | - Axel Fichez
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hospices civils de Lyon, Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, 103 Grande Rue de la Croix-Rousse, 69004, Lyon, France
| | - Lauriane Chauvy
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, 165 chemin du Grand-Revoyet, 69310, Pierre-Bénite, France
| | - Cyrielle Thonnon
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, 165 chemin du Grand-Revoyet, 69310, Pierre-Bénite, France
| | - Gregory Destras
- Department of Virology, Infective Agents Institute, National Reference Center for Respiratory Viruses, Hospices civils de Lyon, Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, 103 Grande Rue de la Croix-Rousse, 69004, Lyon, France
| | - Mojgan Devouassoux-Shisheboran
- Department of Pathology, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, 165 chemin du Grand-Revoyet, 69310, Pierre-Bénite, France
| | - Fabienne Allias
- Department of Pathology, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, 165 chemin du Grand-Revoyet, 69310, Pierre-Bénite, France.
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10
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The Histopathological "Placentitis Triad" Is Specific for SARS-CoV-2 Infection, and Its Acute Presentation Can Be Associated with Poor Fetal Outcome. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13020479. [PMID: 36836836 PMCID: PMC9963180 DOI: 10.3390/life13020479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Placental histological lesions reported in relation with SARS-CoV-2 infection are various, with potential consequences such as fetal growth retardation, prematurity or stillbirth/neonatal death. We report here on a placental pathological association which could be specific for SARS-CoV-2 infection and associated with poor fetal outcome; (2) Methods: We collected all the placental pathological examinations performed in Brest University Hospital (France) since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic with a known maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection and a poor pregnancy outcome. In these cases, we described the pathological lesions and we searched for these lesions in a large series of placentas collected and examined in the same institution before the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic; (3) Results: Three cases with severe fetal outcome (tardive abortion, prematurity, neonatal death), from the first to the third trimesters of pregnancy, were included. The three cases showed features of massive and acute "placentitis triad" consisting in massive perivillous fibrin deposition, sub-acute intervillositis and trophoblastic necrosis. This association was not encountered in any of 8857 placentas analyzed during the period between 2002 and 2012 in our institution; (4) Conclusions: The "placentitis triad" appears to be specific for SARS-CoV-2 infection and, in case of massive and acute presentation, could result in poor fetal outcome.
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11
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SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Clinical and Histopathological Study in Pregnancy. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12020174. [PMID: 36829453 PMCID: PMC9953179 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
During pregnancy, SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with several adverse outcomes, including an increased risk of pre-eclampsia, preterm delivery, hypertensive disorders, gestational diabetes, and fetal growth restriction related to the development of placenta vascular abnormalities. We analyzed human placenta from full-term, uncomplicated pregnancies with SARS-CoV-2 infection during the first, second, or third trimesters of gestation. We studied, by the immunohistochemistry technique, the expression of CD34 and podoplanin (PDPN) as markers of vasculogenesis to find any differences. As secondary outcomes, we correlated maternal symptoms with placental histological alterations, including fibrin deposits, lymphocyte infiltration in the villi, edema, and thrombi. Our results showed a PDPN expression around the villous stroma as a plexiform network around the villous nucleus of fetal vessels; significant down-regulation was observed in the villous stroma of women infected during the third trimester. CD34 showed no changes in expression levels. During SARS-CoV-2 infection, the most common maternal symptoms were fever, anosmia, ageusia and asthenia, and the majority were treated with paracetamol, corticosteroids and azithromycin. Patients that required multiple symptomatic treatments evidenced a large amount of fibrin deposition in the villi. Certainly, PDPN plays a key role in healthy placental vasculogenesis and thus in its proper physiology, and SARS-CoV-2 surely alters its normal expression. Further studies are necessary to understand what mechanisms are being altered to try to avoid possible complications for both the mother and fetus in terms of the contagions that will still occur.
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12
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Carvajal J, Casanello P, Toso A, Farías M, Carrasco-Negue K, Araujo K, Valero P, Fuenzalida J, Solari C, Sobrevia L. Functional consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women, fetoplacental unit, and neonate. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2023; 1869:166582. [PMID: 36273675 PMCID: PMC9581789 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2022.166582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 infection causes COVID-19 disease, characterized by acute respiratory distress syndrome, bilateral pneumonia, and organ failure. The consequences of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection for the pregnant woman, fetus, and neonate are controversial. Thus, it is required to determine whether there is viral and non-viral vertical transmission in COVID-19. The disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 leads to functional alterations in asymptomatic and symptomatic pregnant women, the fetoplacental unit and the neonate. Several diseases of pregnancy, including COVID-19, affect the fetoplacental function, which causes in utero programming for young and adult diseases. A generalized inflammatory state and a higher risk of infection are seen in pregnant women with COVID-19. Obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension may increase the vulnerability of pregnant women to infection by SARS-CoV-2. Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2 show specific mutations that seem to increase the capacity of the virus to infect the pregnant woman, likely due to increasing its interaction via the virus S protein and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors. This review shows the literature addressing to what extent COVID-19 in pregnancy affects the pregnant woman, fetoplacental unit, and neonate. Prospective studies that are key in managing SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Carvajal
- Department of Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile.
| | - Paola Casanello
- Department of Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile,Department of Neonatology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile,Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, Division of Pathology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), 9713GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Alberto Toso
- Department of Neonatology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile
| | - Marcelo Farías
- Department of Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile
| | - Karina Carrasco-Negue
- Department of Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile
| | - Kenny Araujo
- Department of Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile
| | - Paola Valero
- Cellular and Molecular Physiology Laboratory (CMPL), Department of Obstetrics, Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile,Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3460000, Chile
| | - Javiera Fuenzalida
- Department of Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile
| | - Caterina Solari
- Department of Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile
| | - Luis Sobrevia
- Department of Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile; Cellular and Molecular Physiology Laboratory (CMPL), Department of Obstetrics, Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile; Medical School (Faculty of Medicine), Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Brazil; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville E-41012, Spain; University of Queensland, Centre for Clinical Research (UQCCR), Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, Herston 4029, Queensland, Australia; Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, Division of Pathology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), 9713GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands; Tecnologico de Monterrey, Eutra, The Institute for Obesity Research (IOR), School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
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13
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Gupta A, Kamity R, Sharma R, Caprio M, Mally P, Verma S. Mother to Newborn Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Evolution of Evidence in 1.5 Years of COVID-19 Pandemic. Am J Perinatol 2022; 39:1764-1778. [PMID: 35738288 DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1749635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused significant mortality and morbidity in people of all age groups worldwide. Given the uncertainty regarding the mode of transmission and potential effects of COVID-19 on pregnant mothers and their newborns, guidelines for taking care of maternal-newborn dyads have evolved tremendously since the pandemic began. There has been an enormous influx of published materials regarding the outcomes of mothers and newborns. Still, multiple knowledge gaps regarding comprehensive information about risk to the mothers and newborns exist, which need to be addressed. Current evidence suggests that mothers with symptomatic COVID-19 infection are at increased risk of severe illness during pregnancy, with a higher need for respiratory support and premature deliveries. Neonates born to mothers with COVID-19 are at increased risk of needing intensive care; however, most newborns do well after birth. As new mutant variants arise, we need to be cautious while proactively understanding any new evolving patterns. All leading health authorities strongly recommend COVID-19 vaccination before or during pregnancy to reduce the risk of maternal morbidities and benefit from passing antibodies to newborns prenatally and via breastmilk. Additionally, there are racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in outcomes and vaccination coverage for pregnant women. This article summarizes the rapidly evolving evidence for the last 1.5 years and aims to help health care professionals care for mothers with COVID-19 and their newborns. KEY POINTS: · COVID-19 in pregnancy can cause perinatal morbidities.. · Breastfeeding and breast milk are safe for newborns.. · COVID-19 vaccination reduces the risk for morbidities..
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Affiliation(s)
- Arpit Gupta
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, NYC Health, Hospitals/Metropolitan, New York City, New York
| | - Ranjith Kamity
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, NYU Long Island School of Medicine, New York City, New York
| | - Rishika Sharma
- Department of Pediatrics, Family Healthcare Network, Visalia, California
| | - Martha Caprio
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, New York
| | - Pradeep Mally
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, New York
| | - Sourabh Verma
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, New York
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14
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Jovandaric MZ, Dokic M, Babovic IR, Milicevic S, Dotlic J, Milosevic B, Culjic M, Andric L, Dimic N, Mitrovic O, Beleslin A, Nikolic J, Jestrovic Z, Babic S. The Significance of COVID-19 Diseases in Lipid Metabolism Pregnancy Women and Newborns. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315098. [PMID: 36499427 PMCID: PMC9736562 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. Elderly people, people with immunodeficiency, autoimmune and malignant diseases, as well as people with chronic diseases have a higher risk of developing more severe forms of the disease. Pregnant women and children can becomesick, although more often they are only the carriers of the virus. Recent studies have indicated that infants can also be infected by SARS-CoV-2 and develop a severe form of the disease with a fatal outcome. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) ina pregnant woman can affect the supply of oxygen to the fetus and initiate the mechanism of metabolic disorders of the fetus and newborn caused by asphyxia. The initial metabolic response of the newborn to the lack of oxygen in the tissues is the activation of anaerobic glycolysis in the tissues and an increase in the concentration of lactate and ketones. Lipid peroxidation, especially in nerve cells, is catalyzed by iron released from hemoglobin, transferrin and ferritin, whose release is induced by tissue acidosis and free oxygen radicals. Ferroptosis-inducing factors can directly or indirectly affect glutathione peroxidase through various pathways, resulting in a decrease in the antioxidant capacity and accumulation of lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cells, ultimately leading to oxidative cell stress, and finally, death. Conclusion: damage to the mitochondria as a result of lipid peroxidation caused by the COVID-19 disease can cause the death of a newborn and pregnant women as well as short time and long-time sequelae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miljana Z. Jovandaric
- Department of Neonatology, Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +381-11-366-35-86
| | - Milan Dokic
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Medical Faculty, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ivana R. Babovic
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Medical Faculty, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Srboljub Milicevic
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Medical Faculty, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Jelena Dotlic
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Medical Faculty, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Branislav Milosevic
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Medical Faculty, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Miljan Culjic
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Luka Andric
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Nemanja Dimic
- Medical Faculty, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Clinic for Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, University Clinical Hospital Center “Dr Dragisa Misovic - DEDINJE”, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Olga Mitrovic
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Aleksandra Beleslin
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Jovana Nikolic
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Zorica Jestrovic
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Sandra Babic
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
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15
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Montano M, Victor AR, Griffin DK, Duong T, Bolduc N, Farmer A, Garg V, Hadjantonakis AK, Coates A, Barnes FL, Zouves CG, Greene WC, Viotti M. SARS-CoV-2 can infect human embryos. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15451. [PMID: 36104397 PMCID: PMC9472724 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-18906-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The spread of SARS-CoV-2 has led to a devastating pandemic, with infections resulting in a range of symptoms collectively known as COVID-19. The full repertoire of human tissues and organs susceptible to infection is an area of active investigation, and some studies have implicated the reproductive system. The effects of COVID-19 on human reproduction remain poorly understood, and particularly the impact on early embryogenesis and establishment of a pregnancy are not known. In this work, we explore the susceptibility of early human embryos to SARS-CoV-2 infection. By using RNA-seq and immunofluorescence, we note that ACE2 and TMPRSS2, two canonical cell entry factors for SARS-CoV-2, are co-expressed in cells of the trophectoderm in blastocyst-stage preimplantation embryos. For the purpose of viral entry studies, we used fluorescent reporter virions pseudotyped with Spike (S) glycoprotein from SARS-CoV-2, and we observe robust infection of trophectoderm cells. This permissiveness could be attenuated with blocking antibodies targeting S or ACE2. When exposing human blastocysts to the live, fully infectious SARS-CoV-2, we detected cases of infection that compromised embryo health. Therefore, we identify a new human target tissue for SARS-CoV-2 with potential medical implications for reproductive health during the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath.
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16
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Santos A, Sauer M, Neil AJ, Solomon IH, Hornick JL, Roberts DJ, Quade BJ, Parra-Herran C. Absence of SARS-CoV-2 Spike glycoprotein expression in placentas from individuals after mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Mod Pathol 2022; 35:1175-1180. [PMID: 35361888 PMCID: PMC8967927 DOI: 10.1038/s41379-022-01061-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Current public health initiatives to contain the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) global pandemic focus on expanding vaccination efforts to include vulnerable populations such as pregnant people. Vaccines using messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) technology rely on translation by immune cells, primarily at the injection site. Hesitancy remains among the general population regarding the safety of mRNA vaccines during gestation, and it remains unknown whether the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein (the product of mRNA vaccines available) accumulates in the placenta after vaccination. Objective: To determine whether Spike protein translation and accumulation occurs in placental tissue in the context of recent mRNA SARC-CoV-2 vaccination during pregnancy. We identified 48 patients receiving one or two doses of mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine during gestation and used immunohistochemistry against SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded placental tissue. One placenta, positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA by in situ hybridization (ISH) was used as positive control. Seven term placentas collected prior to the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 served as negative controls. Eighty one percent of patients in the study group underwent third-trimester delivery; remaining had a first-trimester spontaneous abortion or elective second-trimester termination. Patients received two (52%) or one (48%) vaccine doses during pregnancy, with a median interval between latest dose and delivery of 13 days (range 2-79 days). Most (63%) cases had their latest dose within 15 days prior to delivery. All the placentas in the study and negative control groups were negative for SARS-CoV-2 immunohistochemistry. Six study cases with short vaccine-delivery intervals (2-7 days) were subjected to SARS-CoV-2 ISH and were negative. Our findings suggest that mRNA vaccines do not reach significant concentrations in the placenta given the absence of definitive SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein accumulation in placental tissue. This observation provides evidence supporting the safety of mRNA vaccines to the placental-fetal unit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andres Santos
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Madeline Sauer
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA,Faculty of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, USA
| | - Alexander J. Neil
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Isaac H. Solomon
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Jason L. Hornick
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Drucilla J. Roberts
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Bradley J. Quade
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Carlos Parra-Herran
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.
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17
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Ezechukwu HC, Shi J, Fowora MA, Diya CA, Elfaki F, Adegboye OA. Fetoplacental transmission and placental response to SARS-CoV-2: Evidence from the literature. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:962937. [PMID: 36052328 PMCID: PMC9426356 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.962937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a dreadful novel coronavirus with global health concerns among pregnant women. To date, the vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy remains controversial. We briefly report recent findings of placental response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and updates on vertical transmission. We systematically searched PubMed and Google Scholar databases according to PRISMA guidelines for studies reporting the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the placenta and possibility of vertical transmission. We identified 45 studies reporting 1,280 human placentas that were analyzed by molecular pathology methods and 11,112 placenta-derived cells from a publicly available database that was analyzed using bioinformatics tools. The main finding of this study is that the SARS-CoV-2 canonical entry receptors (ACE2 and TMPRSS2) are abundantly expressed on the placenta during the first trimester, and this expression diminishes across gestational age. Out of 45 eligible studies identified, 24 (53.34%) showed no evidence of vertical transmission, 15 (33.33%) supported the hypothesis of very rare, low possibility of vertical transmission and 6 (13.33%) were indecisive and had no comment on vertical transmission. Furthermore, 433 placentas from 12 studies were also identified for placental pathology investigation. There was evidence of at least one form of maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM), 57/433 (13.1%), fetal vascular malperfusion (FVM), 81/433 (18.7%) and placental inflammation with excessive infiltration of CD3+ CD8+ lymphocytes, CD68+ macrophages and CD20+ lymphocytes in most of the eligible studies. Decidual vasculopathy (3.2%), infarction (3.2%), chronic histiocytic intervillositis (6.0%), thrombi vasculopathy (5.1%) were also observed in most of the MVM and FVM reported cases. The results indicated that SARS-CoV-2 induces placenta inflammation, and placenta susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 decreases across the pregnancy window. Thus, SARS-CoV-2 infection in early pregnancy may adversely affect the developing fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry C. Ezechukwu
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, EKO University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Lagos, Nigeria
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Jiahua Shi
- School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Muinah A. Fowora
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, EKO University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Lagos, Nigeria
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Cornelius A. Diya
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, EKO University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Faiz Elfaki
- Department of Mathematics, Physics and Statistics, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Oyelola A. Adegboye
- Public Health and Tropical Medicine, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
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18
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Takada K, Shimodai-Yamada S, Suzuki M, Trinh QD, Takano C, Kawakami K, Asai-Sato M, Komatsu A, Okahashi A, Nagano N, Misawa T, Yamaguchi K, Suzuki T, Kawana K, Morioka I, Yamada H, Hayakawa S, Hao H, Komine-Aizawa S. Restriction of SARS-CoV-2 replication in the human placenta. Placenta 2022; 127:73-76. [PMID: 35973367 PMCID: PMC9293377 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2022.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Although SARS-CoV-2 can infect human placental tissue, vertical transmission is rare. Therefore, the placenta may function as a barrier to inhibit viral transmission to the foetus, though the mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we confirmed the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 genome in human placental tissue by in situ hybridization with antisense probes targeting the spike protein; tissue staining was much lower when using sense probes for the spike protein. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first evidence directly indicating inefficient viral replication in the SARS-CoV-2-infected placenta. Additional studies are required to reveal the detailed mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhide Takada
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Sayaka Shimodai-Yamada
- Division of Human Pathology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Mayumi Suzuki
- Division of Human Pathology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Quang Duy Trinh
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Chika Takano
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Kaori Kawakami
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Mikiko Asai-Sato
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Atsushi Komatsu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Aya Okahashi
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Nobuhiko Nagano
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Toshiya Misawa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nagoya Ekisaikai Hospital, Japan
| | - Kyohei Yamaguchi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Hospital Organization, Mie Chuo Medical Center, Japan
| | - Tadaki Suzuki
- Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan
| | - Kei Kawana
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Ichiro Morioka
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Hideto Yamada
- Center for Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Teine Keijinkai Hospital Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Hayakawa
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Hao
- Division of Human Pathology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan.
| | - Shihoko Komine-Aizawa
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan.
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19
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Horn LC, Krücken I, Hiller GGR, Niedermair M, Perac K, Pietsch C, Höhn AK. Placental pathology in sudden intrauterine death (SIUD) in SARS-CoV-2-positive oligosymptomatic women. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2022; 307:1811-1822. [PMID: 35716208 PMCID: PMC9206072 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-022-06614-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Background Pregnant women are also susceptible to SARS-CoV-2. Although an infection of the placenta may be rare, pregnancy may occasionally be affected by intrauterine failure. The knowledge of placental morphology on sudden intrauterine demise is still limited. Methods Fetal and placental tissue of two cases of sudden intrauterine death in the second trimester were analysed morphologically and by immunohistochemistry. One case was evaluated by RT-PCR. Results Both mothers were tested positive for the Alpha variant of SARS-CoV-2 but were oligosymptomatic for COVID-19. Unexpected sudden intrauterine death (SIUD) occurred at 15 + 2 and 27 + 3 weeks of gestation. One fetus demonstrated an intrauterine growth restriction. No malformations nor inflammatory changes were observed in either fetus on autopsy. In contrast to the placentas, the fetal tissue was negative for SARS-CoV-2 on immunohistochemical and RT-PCR analyses. Macroscopically, the placentas showed an increased consistency with a white, reticular cutting surface covering about 95% of the whole placenta. Only very focal histiocytic chronic intervillositis was noted histologically. Massive perivillous fibrin deposits with extensive necroses of the villous trophoblast were present in more than 90% of the placental tissue. Immunohistochemical staining was strong and diffusely positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the villous trophoblast and rarely within the villous stromal cells. Placental SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed by RT-PCR. Conclusion Sudden intrauterine death may occur in mothers who are oligosymptomatic for COVID-19. Acute placental failure is responsible for SIUD, demonstrated by massive perivillous fibrin deposits and extensive necroses of the villous trophoblast with SARS-CoV-2-positivity based on immunohistochemical staining and RT-PCR. Detailed histopathological examination of placental and fetal tissue is mandatory to verify SARS-CoV-2 and to evaluate the pathogenesis and functionality of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars-Christian Horn
- Division of Breast Gynecologic and Perinatal Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital of Leipzig, Liebigstrasse 26, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Irene Krücken
- Division of Breast Gynecologic and Perinatal Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital of Leipzig, Liebigstrasse 26, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Grit Gesine Ruth Hiller
- Division of Breast Gynecologic and Perinatal Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital of Leipzig, Liebigstrasse 26, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Maria Niedermair
- Institute of Clinical and Molecular Pathology, City Hospital Wels-Grieskirchen, Grieskirchen, Austria
| | - Kristina Perac
- Institute of Clinical and Molecular Pathology, City Hospital Wels-Grieskirchen, Grieskirchen, Austria
| | - Corinna Pietsch
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Virology, University Hospital of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anne Kathrin Höhn
- Division of Breast Gynecologic and Perinatal Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital of Leipzig, Liebigstrasse 26, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
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20
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Response to "Diffuse trophoblast damage is the hallmark of SARS-CoV-2-associated fetal demise.". Mod Pathol 2022; 35:850-851. [PMID: 34845304 PMCID: PMC8629101 DOI: 10.1038/s41379-021-00975-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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21
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Abstract
The Amsterdam Placental Workshop Group Consensus Statement on Sampling and Definitions of Placental Lesions has become widely accepted and is increasingly used as the universal language to describe the most common pathologic lesions found in the placenta. This review summarizes the most salient aspects of this seminal publication and the subsequent emerging literature based on Amsterdam definitions and criteria, with emphasis on publications relating to diagnosis, grading, and staging of placental pathologic conditions. We also provide an overview of the recent expert recommendations on the pathologic grading of placenta accreta spectrum, with insights on their clinical context. Finally, we discuss the emerging entity of SARS-CoV2 placentitis.
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22
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Nadal A, Garrido-Pontnou M, Navarro A, Camacho J, Ferreres JC. Authors' response to "Response to Diffuse Trophoblast Damage is the Hallmark of SARS-CoV-2-associated fetal demise". Mod Pathol 2022; 35:852-853. [PMID: 35322194 PMCID: PMC8941829 DOI: 10.1038/s41379-022-01064-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alfons Nadal
- Pathology Department, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain. .,Department of Basic Clinical Practice, School of Medicine, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. .,August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Marta Garrido-Pontnou
- Pathology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Department of Morphological Sciences, School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alexandra Navarro
- Pathology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jessica Camacho
- Pathology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Carles Ferreres
- Pathology Department. Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari. Institut d'Investigació i Innovació Parc Taulí I3PT, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Sabadell, Spain,Department of Morphological Sciences, School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Sabadell, Spain
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23
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Youngster M, Avraham S, Yaakov O, Landau Rabbi M, Gat I, Yerushalmi G, Baum M, Maman E, Hourvitz A, Kedem A. The impact of past COVID-19 infection on pregnancy rates in frozen embryo transfer cycles. J Assist Reprod Genet 2022; 39:1565-1570. [PMID: 35525900 PMCID: PMC9078206 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-022-02517-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To study the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on pregnancy rates in frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles. METHODS A retrospective cohort study including women under the age of 42 with documented SARS-CoV-2 infection up to 1 year prior to treatment, undergoing FET cycles in the first half of 2021, with transfer of embryos generated prior to the infection. Controls were SARS-CoV-2 non-diagnosed, non-vaccinated women matched by age, number, and day of embryo transfer. Demographic and cycle characteristics and outcomes were compared. RESULTS Forty-one recovered women and 41 controls were included. Pregnancy rates were 29% and 49% respectively (p = 0.070). Stratification by time from SARS-CoV-2 infection to transfer into ≤ 60 and > 60 days revealed a difference in pregnancy rates, with women in the COVID group having lower pregnancy rates if infected in proximity to the transfer (21% vs. 55%; p = 0.006). In a logistic regression model, infection was a significant variable (p = 0.05, OR 0.325, 95% CI 0.106-0.998). Logistic regression applied on the subgroup of women infected in proximity to the transfer further strengthened the univariate results, with COVID-19 remaining a significant parameter (p = 0.005, OR 0.072, 95% CI 0.012-0.450). CONCLUSIONS In FET cycles of patients with past SARS-CoV-2 infection, in which oocytes were retrieved prior to infection, decreased pregnancy rates were observed, specifically in patients who recovered less than 60 days prior to embryo transfer. Pending further studies, in cases of FET cycles with limited number of embryos, postponing embryo transfer for at least 60 days following recovery from COVID-19 might be considered when feasible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Youngster
- IVF Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shamir Medical Center, 70300, Zerifin, Israel. .,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. .,IVF Unit, Herzliya Medical Centre, Herzliya, Israel.
| | - Sarit Avraham
- IVF Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shamir Medical Center, 70300, Zerifin, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Odelia Yaakov
- IVF Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shamir Medical Center, 70300, Zerifin, Israel
| | - Moran Landau Rabbi
- IVF Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shamir Medical Center, 70300, Zerifin, Israel
| | - Itai Gat
- IVF Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shamir Medical Center, 70300, Zerifin, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Gil Yerushalmi
- IVF Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shamir Medical Center, 70300, Zerifin, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Micha Baum
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,IVF Unit, Herzliya Medical Centre, Herzliya, Israel.,IVF Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sheba Medical Centre, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Ettie Maman
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,IVF Unit, Herzliya Medical Centre, Herzliya, Israel.,IVF Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sheba Medical Centre, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Ariel Hourvitz
- IVF Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shamir Medical Center, 70300, Zerifin, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Alon Kedem
- IVF Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shamir Medical Center, 70300, Zerifin, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,IVF Unit, Herzliya Medical Centre, Herzliya, Israel
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24
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Argueta LB, Lacko LA, Bram Y, Tada T, Carrau L, Rendeiro AF, Zhang T, Uhl S, Lubor BC, Chandar V, Gil C, Zhang W, Dodson BJ, Bastiaans J, Prabhu M, Houghton S, Redmond D, Salvatore CM, Yang YJ, Elemento O, Baergen RN, tenOever BR, Landau NR, Chen S, Schwartz RE, Stuhlmann H. Inflammatory responses in the placenta upon SARS-CoV-2 infection late in pregnancy. iScience 2022; 25:104223. [PMID: 35434541 PMCID: PMC8996470 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on placental function is not well understood. Analysis of placentas from women who tested positive at delivery showed SARS-CoV-2 genomic and subgenomic RNA in 22 out of 52 placentas. Placentas from two mothers with symptomatic COVID-19 whose pregnancies resulted in adverse outcomes for the fetuses contained high levels of viral Alpha variant RNA. The RNA was localized to the trophoblasts that cover the fetal chorionic villi in direct contact with maternal blood. The intervillous spaces and villi were infiltrated with maternal macrophages and T cells. Transcriptome analysis showed an increased expression of chemokines and pathways associated with viral infection and inflammation. Infection of placental cultures with live SARS-CoV-2 and spike protein-pseudotyped lentivirus showed infection of syncytiotrophoblast and, in rare cases, endothelial cells mediated by ACE2 and Neuropilin-1. Viruses with Alpha, Beta, and Delta variant spikes infected the placental cultures at significantly greater levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lissenya B. Argueta
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Lauretta A. Lacko
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Yaron Bram
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Takuya Tada
- Department of Microbiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Lucia Carrau
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - André Figueiredo Rendeiro
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA,Caryl and Israel Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Tuo Zhang
- Genomics Resources Facility, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Skyler Uhl
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Brienne C. Lubor
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Vasuretha Chandar
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Cristianel Gil
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Wei Zhang
- Genomics Resources Facility, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Brittany J. Dodson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Jeroen Bastiaans
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Malavika Prabhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Sean Houghton
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Ansary Stem Cell Institute, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - David Redmond
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Ansary Stem Cell Institute, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Christine M. Salvatore
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Yawei J. Yang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Olivier Elemento
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA,Caryl and Israel Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Rebecca N. Baergen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Benjamin R. tenOever
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Nathaniel R. Landau
- Department of Microbiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Shuibing Chen
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA,Corresponding author
| | - Robert E. Schwartz
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA,Corresponding author
| | - Heidi Stuhlmann
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA,Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA,Corresponding author
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25
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Chowdhury S, Bappy MH, Desai S, Chowdhury S, Patel V, Chowdhury MS, Fonseca A, Sekzer C, Zahid S, Patousis A, Gerothanasi A, Masenga MJ. COVID-19 and Pregnancy. Discoveries (Craiova) 2022; 10:e147. [PMID: 36438440 PMCID: PMC9683860 DOI: 10.15190/d.2022.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
It is of greatest concern how COVID-19 is affecting pregnancy, mothers, and babies. Scientists are studying the impact of COVID-19 on pregnant women and babies and are understanding a little more every day. Reports show that there is an increased risk in pregnant women compared to nonpregnant women to get more serious illness due to COVID-19. Researchers are also investigating COVID-19 and its potential impact on a fetus. There are exceedingly rare cases of COVID-19 transmission to the fetus, and newborns can pick up COVID-19 when exposed. Vaccines are proved to be safe for pregnant women and help prevent both mother and the fetus from getting COVID-19 and are also highly effective to prevent COVID-19 infection, critical sickness, and fatalities in general. There are specific guidelines for labor and delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic which are to be imposed and followed to achieve safer and healthier childbirth. In this article, the overall influence of COVID-19 in pregnancy, its pathophysiology, effects on placenta and neonates, maternal and perinatal features and outcomes, the role of vaccination, available treatment options, and the guidelines to be followed during the pandemic are discussed based on the available scientific evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Vraj Patel
- Smt. NHL Municipal Medical College, Ahmedabad, India
| | | | | | | | - Samina Zahid
- Khyber Girls Medical College, Peshawar, Pakistan
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26
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Pérez-López FR, Savirón-Cornudella R, Chedraui P, López-Baena MT, Pérez-Roncero G, Sanz-Arenal A, Narváez-Salazar M, Dieste-Pérez P, Tajada M. Obstetric and perinatal outcomes of pregnancies with COVID 19: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2022; 35:9742-9758. [PMID: 35282784 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2022.2051008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This meta-analysis aimed at comparing obstetric and perinatal outcomes in laboratory-tested pregnant women for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection before delivering. METHOD We performed a comprehensive systematic review of electronic databases for studies reporting pregnant women with and without SARS-CoV-2 infection, as determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) before delivery, during the pandemic period published up to June 25, 2021. Results are reported as mean difference (MD) or odds ratio (OR) and their 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS Seventeen observational studies with low to moderate risk of bias, reported on 2,769 pregnant women with a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test and 13,807 with a negative test. Pregnant women with a positive PCR test delivered at an earlier gestational age (MD -0.19; 95% CI -0.36 to -0.02 weeks), smoked less (OR 0.75; 95% CI 0.61-0.94) and were associated with higher odds for preeclampsia (OR 1.30; 95% CI 1.09-1.54), NICU admissions (OR 2.37; 95% CI 1.18-4.76), stillbirths (OR 2.70; 95% CI, 1.38-5.29), and perinatal mortality (OR 3.23; 95% CI 1.23-8.52). There were no significant differences between positive and negative tested women in terms of nulliparity, multiple pregnancies, gestational diabetes, route of delivery, labor induction, preterm birth, infant birth weight, 5 min Apgar scores < 7, small-for-gestational-age infants and fetal malformations. Eleven studies included neonatal PCR SARS-CoV-2 testing which was performed on 129 infants, of which 20 were positive. CONCLUSION Positive SARS-CoV-2 tested pregnant women had higher odds for preeclampsia/hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, NICU admissions, stillbirths and perinatal mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faustino R Pérez-López
- Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | | | - Peter Chedraui
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación en Salud Integral & Laboratorio de Biomedicina, Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | | | | | - Ana Sanz-Arenal
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Marta Narváez-Salazar
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Peña Dieste-Pérez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Mauricio Tajada
- Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain
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27
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Sagara A, Yamaguchi M, Mikami Y, Motohara T, Ohba T, Kondoh E. Maternal thrombocytopenia precedes fetal death associated with
COVID
‐19. J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2022; 48:1475-1479. [PMID: 35278016 PMCID: PMC9115293 DOI: 10.1111/jog.15223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Acute coagulopathy, specific placental pathology, and an increased risk of fetal death have been reported in pregnant women with COVID‐19; however, the association between coagulopathy and fetal death remains unknown. We report two pregnant women with COVID‐19 who showed acute coagulopathy prior to fetal death. Both pregnant women presented with thrombocytopenia after testing positive for SARS‐CoV‐2 (days 5 and 7). They had mild symptoms, but coagulopathy progressed, and their fetuses died on day 9 at 27 and 22 weeks of pregnancy. Their coagulability improved after delivery. Placental histology in both cases showed intervillous infiltration of histiocytes, necrosis of trophoblasts, and intervillous fibrin deposition, which were consistent with previously reported pathological findings related to SARS‐CoV‐2. In the management of pregnant women with COVID‐19, thrombocytopenia may be a predictive marker of fetal death following coagulopathy and placental inflammatory changes due to SARS‐CoV‐2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akihito Sagara
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Life Sciences Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
| | - Munekage Yamaguchi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Life Sciences Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
| | - Yoshiki Mikami
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology Kumamoto University Hospital Kumamoto Japan
| | - Takeshi Motohara
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Life Sciences Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
| | - Takashi Ohba
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Life Sciences Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
| | - Eiji Kondoh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Life Sciences Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
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28
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Khalil A, Blakeway H, Samara A, O'Brien P. COVID-19 and stillbirth: direct vs indirect effect of the pandemic. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2022; 59:288-295. [PMID: 34951732 DOI: 10.1002/uog.24846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- A Khalil
- Fetal Medicine Unit, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, University of London, London, UK
- Vascular Biology Research Centre, Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George's University of London, London, UK
| | - H Blakeway
- Fetal Medicine Unit, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, University of London, London, UK
| | - A Samara
- Division of Clinical Paediatrics, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Astrid Lindgren, Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - P O'Brien
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London, UK
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29
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Stillbirth after COVID-19 in Unvaccinated Mothers Can Result from SARS-CoV-2 Placentitis, Placental Insufficiency, and Hypoxic Ischemic Fetal Demise, Not Direct Fetal Infection: Potential Role of Maternal Vaccination in Pregnancy. Viruses 2022; 14:v14030458. [PMID: 35336864 PMCID: PMC8950737 DOI: 10.3390/v14030458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Stillbirth is a recently recognized complication of COVID-19 in pregnant women. Other congenitally transmitted infections from viruses, bacteria and parasites can cause stillbirth by infecting fetal organs following transplacental transmission of the agent from the maternal bloodstream. However, recent research on pregnant women with COVID-19 having stillbirths indicates that there is another mechanism of stillbirth that can occur in placentas infected with SARS-CoV-2. In these cases, viral infection of the placenta results in SARS-CoV-2 placentitis, a combination of concurrent destructive findings that include increased fibrin deposition which typically reaches the level of massive perivillous fibrin deposition, chronic histiocytic intervillositis and trophoblast necrosis. These three pathological lesions, in some cases together with placental hemorrhage, thrombohematomas and villitis, result in severe and diffuse placental parenchymal destruction. This pathology can involve greater than one-half of the placental volume, averaging 77% in the largest study of 68 cases, effectively rendering the placenta incapable of performing its function of oxygenating the fetus. This destructive placental process can lead to stillbirth and neonatal death via malperfusion and placental insufficiency which is independent of fetal infection. Fetal autopsies show no evidence that direct infection of fetal organs is contributory. Because all mothers examined have been unvaccinated, maternal vaccination may prevent viremia and consequent placental infection.
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30
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Peng Z, Zhang J, Shi Y, Yi M. Research progresses in vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among infants born to mothers with COVID-19. Future Virol 2022. [PMID: 35173797 PMCID: PMC8833011 DOI: 10.2217/fvl-2021-0213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhoujie Peng
- Department of Neonatology, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital; Department of Neonatology, Chongqing Three Gorges Central Hospital, 165 Xin Cheng Road, Wanzhou District, Chongqing, 404000, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Neonatology, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital; Department of Neonatology, Chongqing Three Gorges Central Hospital, 165 Xin Cheng Road, Wanzhou District, Chongqing, 404000, China
| | - Yuan Shi
- Department of Neonatology, Children’s Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health & Disorders; China International Science & Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development & Critical Disorders No.136 Zhongshan Er Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400014, China
| | - Ming Yi
- Department of Neonatology, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital; Department of Neonatology, Chongqing Three Gorges Central Hospital, 165 Xin Cheng Road, Wanzhou District, Chongqing, 404000, China
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Schwartz DA, Avvad-Portari E, Babál P, Baldewijns M, Blomberg M, Bouachba A, Camacho J, Collardeau-Frachon S, Colson A, Dehaene I, Ferreres JC, Fitzgerald B, Garrido-Pontnou M, Gerges H, Hargitai B, Helguera-Repetto AC, Holmström S, Irles CL, Leijonhfvud Å, Libbrecht S, Marton T, McEntagart N, Molina JT, Morotti R, Nadal A, Navarro A, Nelander M, Oviedo A, Oyamada Otani AR, Papadogiannakis N, Petersen AC, Roberts DJ, Saad AG, Sand A, Schoenmakers S, Sehn JK, Simpson PR, Thomas K, Valdespino-Vázquez MY, van der Meeren LE, Van Dorpe J, Verdijk RM, Watkins JC, Zaigham M. Placental Tissue Destruction and Insufficiency from COVID-19 Causes Stillbirth and Neonatal Death from Hypoxic-Ischemic Injury: A Study of 68 Cases with SARS-CoV-2 Placentitis from 12 Countries. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2022; 146:660-676. [PMID: 35142798 DOI: 10.5858/arpa.2022-0029-sa] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT.— Perinatal death is an increasingly important problem as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, but the mechanism of death has been unclear. OBJECTIVE.— To evaluate the role of the placenta in causing stillbirth and neonatal death following maternal infection with COVID-19 and confirmed placental positivity for SARS-CoV-2. DESIGN.— Case-based retrospective clinico-pathological analysis by a multinational group of 44 perinatal specialists from 12 countries of placental and autopsy pathology findings from 64 stillborns and 4 neonatal deaths having placentas testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 following delivery to mothers with COVID-19. RESULTS.— All 68 placentas had increased fibrin deposition and villous trophoblast necrosis and 66 had chronic histiocytic intervillositis, the three findings constituting SARS-CoV-2 placentitis. Sixty-three placentas had massive perivillous fibrin deposition. Severe destructive placental disease from SARS-CoV-2 placentitis averaged 77.7% tissue involvement. Other findings included multiple intervillous thrombi (37%; 25/68) and chronic villitis (32%; 22/68). The majority (19, 63%) of the 30 autopsies revealed no significant fetal abnormalities except for intrauterine hypoxia and asphyxia. Among all 68 cases, SARS-CoV-2 was detected from a body specimen in 16 of 28 cases tested, most frequently from nasopharyngeal swabs. Four autopsied stillborns had SARS-CoV-2 identified in internal organs. CONCLUSIONS.— The pathology abnormalities composing SARS-CoV-2 placentitis cause widespread and severe placental destruction resulting in placental malperfusion and insufficiency. In these cases, intrauterine and perinatal death likely results directly from placental insufficiency and fetal hypoxic-ischemic injury. There was no evidence that SARS-CoV-2 involvement of the fetus had a role in causing these deaths.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elyzabeth Avvad-Portari
- Department of Pathology, Fernandes Figueira Institute, FIOCRUZ - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Avvad-Portari)
| | - Pavel Babál
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia (Babál)
| | - Marcella Baldewijns
- Department of Pathology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium (Baldewijns)
| | - Marie Blomberg
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden (Blomberg)
| | - Amine Bouachba
- Institut de Pathologie Multisite des Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France; SOFFOET-Société Française de Foetopathologie, Paris, France (Bouachba)
| | - Jessica Camacho
- Pathology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain (Camacho)
| | - Sophie Collardeau-Frachon
- Department of Pathology, Hopital Femme-Mère Enfant, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 and SOFFOET-Société Française de Foetopathologie, Paris France (Collardeau-Frachon)
| | - Arthur Colson
- Department of Obstetrics, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium (Colson)
| | - Isabelle Dehaene
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium (Dehaene)
| | - Joan Carles Ferreres
- Pathology Department, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari, Institut d'Investigació i Innovació Parc Taulí I3PT, Barcelona, Spain (Ferreres)
| | - Brendan Fitzgerald
- Department of Pathology, Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Republic of Ireland (Fitzgerald)
| | - Marta Garrido-Pontnou
- Pathology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Department of Morphological Sciences, School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain (Garrido-Pontnou)
| | - Hazem Gerges
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Doncaster and Bassetlaw NHS Teaching Hospitals, Women's Hospital, Doncaster, United Kingdom (Gerges)
| | - Beata Hargitai
- Division of Perinatal Pathology, Department of Cellular Pathology, Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom (Hargitai)
| | - A Cecilia Helguera-Repetto
- Immunobiochemistry Department, National Institute of Perinatology, Mexico City, Mexico (Helguera-Repetto)
| | - Sandra Holmström
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Halland Hospital, Varberg, Sweden (Holmström)
| | - Claudine Liliane Irles
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Development, National Institute of Perinatology "Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes", Mexico City, Mexico (Irles)
| | - Åsa Leijonhfvud
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Helsingborg Hospital, Department of Clinical Science Helsingborg, Lund University, Lund, Sweden (Leijonhfvud)
| | - Sasha Libbrecht
- Department of Pathological Anatomy, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium (Libbrecht)
| | - Tamás Marton
- Cellular Pathology Department, Birmingham Women's Hospital, Birmingham, United Kingdom (Marton)
| | - Noel McEntagart
- Histopathology, Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, Republic of Ireland (McEntagart)
| | - James T Molina
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, CHRISTUS Hospital St. Elizabeth, 2830 Calder St, Beaumont, Texas (Molina)
| | - Raffaella Morotti
- Department of Pathology and Pediatrics, Autopsy Service, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut (Morotti)
| | - Alfons Nadal
- Pathology Department, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain (Nadal).,Department of Basic Clinical Practice, School of Medicine, Universitat de Barcelona, and August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain (Nadal)
| | - Alexandra Navarro
- Pathology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain (Navarro)
| | - Maria Nelander
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (Nelander)
| | - Angelica Oviedo
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, Las Cruces, New Mexico (Oviedo)
| | | | - Nikos Papadogiannakis
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Pathology, Karolinska Institute and Department of Pathology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden (Papadogiannakis)
| | - Astrid C Petersen
- Department of Pathology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark (Petersen)
| | - Drucilla J Roberts
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (Roberts)
| | - Ali G Saad
- Pediatric Pathology and Neuropathology, Department of Pathology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine/Jackson Health System/Holtz Children's Hospital, Miami, Florida (Saad)
| | - Anna Sand
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Stockholm, Sweden (Sand)
| | - Sam Schoenmakers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (Schoenmakers)
| | - Jennifer K Sehn
- Department of Pathology, St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri (Sehn)
| | - Preston R Simpson
- Department of Pathology, CHRISTUS Hospital St. Elizabeth, 2830 Calder St., Beaumont, Texas (Simpson)
| | - Kristen Thomas
- Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health - Main Campus & Bellevue Hospital Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York (Thomas)
| | | | - Lotte E van der Meeren
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands (van der Meeren).,Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands (van der Meeren)
| | - Jo Van Dorpe
- Department of Pathology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium (Van Dorpe)
| | - Robert M Verdijk
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (Verdijk)
| | - Jaclyn C Watkins
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (Watkins)
| | - Mehreen Zaigham
- Obstetrics & Gynecology, Institution of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Sweden (Zaigham).,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö and Lund, Sweden (Zaigham)
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Fitzgerald B, O'Donoghue K, McEntagart N, Gillan JE, Kelehan P, O'Leary J, Downey P, Dean J, De Gascun CF, Bermingham J, Armstrong F, Al Fathil A, Maher N, Murphy C, Burke L. Fetal deaths in Ireland due to SARS-CoV-2 placentitis caused by SARS-CoV-2 Alpha. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2022; 146:529-537. [PMID: 35020786 DOI: 10.5858/arpa.2021-0586-sa] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT - A severe third wave of COVID-19 disease affected Ireland in the first 3 months of 2021. In this wave, 1 second trimester miscarriage and 6 stillbirths were observed in the Irish population due to placental insufficiency as a result of SARS-CoV-2 placentitis. This observation was at odds with the country's previous experience with COVID-19 disease in pregnant mothers. OBJECTIVE - To describe the clinical and pathological features of these pregnancy losses. DESIGN - Retrospective review of clinical and pathological data of cases of second trimester miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death identified by perinatal pathologists as being due to SARS-CoV-2 placentitis during the third wave of COVID-19 in Ireland. RESULTS - Clinical and pathological data was available for review in 6 pregnancies. Sequencing or genotyping of the virus identified SARS-CoV-2 Alpha (B.1.1.7) in all cases. Three of the 6 cases had maternal thrombocytopenia, while fetal growth restriction was not prominent suggesting a rapidly progressive placental disease. CONCLUSIONS - The identification of SARS-CoV-2 Alpha in all these cases suggests that the emergence of the variant was associated with an increased risk of fetal death due to SARSCoV-2 placentitis when compared to the original virus. Maternal thrombocytopenia, may have potential as a clinical marker of placentitis but other inflammatory markers need investigation. Three of the 6 women had been assessed for reduced fetal movements in hospital some days before the fetal deaths actually occurred; this could suggest that there may be a window for intervention in some cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan Fitzgerald
- Department of Pathology (Fitzgerald, Burke), Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland
| | - Keelin O'Donoghue
- Pregnancy Loss Research Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O'Donoghue), University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Irish Centre for Maternal and Child Health in Cork University Maternity Hospital (O'Donoghue), Cork, Ireland
| | - Noel McEntagart
- Department of Pathology (McEntagart), Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - John E Gillan
- Department of Pathology, Coombe Women and Infant's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland (Gillan, Kelehan)
| | - Peter Kelehan
- Department of Pathology, Coombe Women and Infant's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland (Gillan, Kelehan)
| | - John O'Leary
- Department of Pathology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland (O'Leary)
| | - Paul Downey
- Department of Pathology, National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, Ireland (Downey)
| | - Jonathan Dean
- UCD National Virus Reference Laboratory, University College Dublin, Ireland (Dean, De Gascun)
| | - Cillian F De Gascun
- UCD National Virus Reference Laboratory, University College Dublin, Ireland (Dean, De Gascun)
| | - John Bermingham
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital Waterford, Ireland (Bermingham)
| | - Fionnvola Armstrong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, Ireland (Armstrong)
| | - Attia Al Fathil
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tipperary University Hospital, Clonmel, Ireland (Al Fathil)
| | - Nicola Maher
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (Maher), Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Cliona Murphy
- Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Dublin, Ireland (Murphy)
| | - Louise Burke
- Department of Pathology (Fitzgerald, Burke), Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland.,Department of Pathology (Burke), University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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Izquierdo-Pujol J, Moron-Lopez S, Dalmau J, Gonzalez-Aumatell A, Carreras-Abad C, Mendez M, Rodrigo C, Martinez-Picado J. Post COVID-19 Condition in Children and Adolescents: An Emerging Problem. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:894204. [PMID: 35633949 PMCID: PMC9130634 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.894204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection became a pandemic in 2020 and by March 2022 had caused more than 479 million infections and 6 million deaths worldwide. Several acute and long-term symptoms have been reported in infected adults, but it remains unclear whether children/adolescents also experience persistent sequelae. Hence, we conducted a review of symptoms and pathophysiology associated with post-coronavirus disease 2019 (post-COVID-19) condition in children and adolescents. We reviewed the scientific literature for reports on persistent COVID-19 symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection in both children/adolescents and adults from 1 January 2020 to 31 March 2022 (based on their originality and relevance to the broad scope of this review, 26 reports were included, 8 focused on adults and 18 on children/adolescents). Persistent sequelae of COVID-19 are less common in children/adolescents than in adults, possibly owing to a lower frequency of SARS-CoV-2 infection and to the lower impact of the infection itself in this age group. However, cumulative evidence has shown prolonged COVID-19 to be a clinical entity, with few pathophysiological associations at present. The most common post-COVID-19 symptoms in children/adolescents are fatigue, lack of concentration, and muscle pain. In addition, we found evidence of pathophysiology associated with fatigue and/or headache, persistent loss of smell and cough, and neurological and/or cardiovascular symptoms. This review highlights the importance of unraveling why SARS-CoV-2 infection may cause post-COVID-19 condition and how persistent symptoms might affect the physical, social, and psychological well-being of young people in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sara Moron-Lopez
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Badalona, Spain.,CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Alba Gonzalez-Aumatell
- Department of Pediatrics, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Badalona, Spain
| | - Clara Carreras-Abad
- Department of Pediatrics, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Badalona, Spain
| | - Maria Mendez
- Department of Pediatrics, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Badalona, Spain
| | - Carlos Rodrigo
- Department of Pediatrics, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Badalona, Spain
| | - Javier Martinez-Picado
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Badalona, Spain.,CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Infectious Disease and Immunity, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Spain.,Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
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34
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Intrauterine Fetal Demise After Uncomplicated COVID-19: What Can We Learn from the Case? Viruses 2021; 13:v13122545. [PMID: 34960815 PMCID: PMC8708385 DOI: 10.3390/v13122545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women can lead to placental damage and transplacental infection transfer, and intrauterine fetal demise is an unpredictable event. Case study: A 32-year-old patient in her 38th week of pregnancy reported loss of fetal movements. She overcame mild COVID-19 with positive PCR test 22 days before. A histology of the placenta showed deposition of intervillous fibrinoid, lympho-histiocytic infiltration, scant neutrophils, clumping of villi, and extant infarctions. Immunohistochemistry identified focal SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid and spike protein in the syncytiotrophoblast and isolated in situ hybridization of the virus’ RNA. Low ACE2 and TMPRSS2 contrasted with strong basigin/CD147 and PDL-1 positivity in the trophoblast. An autopsy of the fetus showed no morphological abnormalities except for lung interstitial infiltrate, with prevalent CD8-positive T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization proved the presence of countless dispersed SARS-CoV-2-infected epithelial and endothelial cells in the lung tissue. The potential virus-receptor protein ACE2, TMPRSS2, and CD147 expression was too low to be detected. Conclusion: Over three weeks’ persistence of trophoblast viral infection lead to extensive intervillous fibrinoid depositions and placental infarctions. High CD147 expression might serve as the dominant receptor for the virus, and PDL-1 could limit maternal immunity in placental tissue virus clearance. The presented case indicates that the SARS-CoV-2 infection-induced changes in the placenta lead to ischemia and consecutive demise of the fetus. The infection of the fetus was without significant impact on its death. This rare complication of pregnancy can appear independently to the severity of COVID-19’s clinical course in the pregnant mother.
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35
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SARS-CoV-2, Zika viruses and mycoplasma: Structure, pathogenesis and some treatment options in these emerging viral and bacterial infectious diseases. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2021; 1867:166264. [PMID: 34481867 PMCID: PMC8413106 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2021.166264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The molecular evolution of life on earth along with changing environmental, conditions has rendered mankind susceptible to endemic and pandemic emerging infectious diseases. The effects of certain systemic viral and bacterial infections on morbidity and mortality are considered as examples of recent emerging infections. Here we will focus on three examples of infections that are important in pregnancy and early childhood: SARS-CoV-2 virus, Zika virus, and Mycoplasma species. The basic structural characteristics of these infectious agents will be examined, along with their general pathogenic mechanisms. Coronavirus infections, such as caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, likely evolved from zoonotic bat viruses to infect humans and cause a pandemic that has been the biggest challenge for humanity since the Spanish Flu pandemic of the early 20th century. In contrast, Zika Virus infections represent an expanding infectious threat in the context of global climate change. The relationship of these infections to pregnancy, the vertical transmission and neurological sequels make these viruses highly relevant to the topics of this special issue. Finally, mycoplasmal infections have been present before mankind evolved, but they were rarely identified as human pathogens until recently, and they are now recognized as important coinfections that are able to modify the course and prognosis of various infectious diseases and other chronic illnesses. The infectious processes caused by these intracellular microorganisms are examined as well as some general aspects of their pathogeneses, clinical presentations, and diagnoses. We will finally consider examples of treatments that have been used to reduce morbidity and mortality of these infections and discuss briefly the current status of vaccines, in particular, against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It is important to understand some of the basic features of these emerging infectious diseases and the pathogens involved in order to better appreciate the contributions of this special issue on how infectious diseases can affect human pregnancy, fetuses and neonates.
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Ganor Paz Y, Shiloh S, Brosh-Nissimov T, Grupel D, Sorek N, Kustin T, Stern A, Maklakovsky M, Polak M, Sharvit M, Neeman O, Ben Valid T, Tovbin J, Barzilay E. The association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and late pregnancy loss. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2021; 157:208-209. [PMID: 34778964 PMCID: PMC9087656 DOI: 10.1002/ijgo.14025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yael Ganor Paz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samson Assuta Ashdod university Hospital, Ashdod, Israel.,Faculty of health sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Sivan Shiloh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samson Assuta Ashdod university Hospital, Ashdod, Israel
| | - Tal Brosh-Nissimov
- Faculty of health sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.,Infectious Diseases Unit, Samson Assuta Ashdod university Hospital, Ashdod, Israel
| | - Daniel Grupel
- Faculty of health sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.,Infectious Diseases Unit, Samson Assuta Ashdod university Hospital, Ashdod, Israel
| | - Nadav Sorek
- Faculty of health sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.,Microbiology Lab, Samson Assuta Ashdod university Hospital, Ashdod, Israel
| | - Talia Kustin
- The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Edmond J. Safra Center for Bioinformatics, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Adi Stern
- The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Edmond J. Safra Center for Bioinformatics, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Marina Maklakovsky
- Faculty of health sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.,Pathology department, Samson Assuta Ashdod university Hospital, Ashdod, Israel
| | - Mia Polak
- Faculty of health sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.,Pathology department, Samson Assuta Ashdod university Hospital, Ashdod, Israel
| | - Merav Sharvit
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samson Assuta Ashdod university Hospital, Ashdod, Israel.,Faculty of health sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Ortal Neeman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samson Assuta Ashdod university Hospital, Ashdod, Israel.,Faculty of health sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Tal Ben Valid
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samson Assuta Ashdod university Hospital, Ashdod, Israel
| | - Josef Tovbin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samson Assuta Ashdod university Hospital, Ashdod, Israel.,Faculty of health sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Eran Barzilay
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samson Assuta Ashdod university Hospital, Ashdod, Israel.,Faculty of health sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
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Thomas J, Sun Y, Debelenko L. Infrequent Placental and Fetal Involvement in SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Pathology Data from a Large Medical Center. J Dev Biol 2021; 9:jdb9040045. [PMID: 34698210 PMCID: PMC8544396 DOI: 10.3390/jdb9040045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to determine the frequency of SARS-CoV-2 placental and fetal involvements, we analyzed placentas of 197 women positive for infection at delivery and fetal tissues in cases of pregnancy loss in women positive by SARS-CoV-2 PCR (N = 2) and COVID-19 serology (N = 4), using in situ hybridization (ISH), immunohistochemistry (IHC) and, in selected cases, RT-PCR of tissue homogenates. The virus was identified in situ, accompanied by intervillositis, in 2 of 197 placentas (1.02%). In three more cases, SARS-CoV-2 was detected by tissue PCR without in situ localization and placental inflammation. There were no maternal mortality or association of placental infection with the clinical severity of COVID-19. All tested neonates born to SARS-CoV-2-positive women (N = 172) were negative for the virus. There were three pregnancy losses among 197 infected women and in two cases available fetal tissues were negative for SARS-CoV-2. In one of four fetal autopsies performed in women with positive COVID-19 serology, the mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) could be inferred based on positive SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid IHC in fetal pulmonary endothelium. Placental involvement by SARS-CoV-2 is rare, but may be underestimated due to its transient nature. MTCT is even rarer, supporting the protective role of placenta in SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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38
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Mahajan NN, Gaikwad C, Tayshete R, Saldanha C, Pednekar R, Mahale SD, Gajbhiye RK. Increased stillbirth rate during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in India. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2021; 266:191-192. [PMID: 34625338 PMCID: PMC7612909 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2021.09.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Niraj N Mahajan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Topiwala National Medical College & BYL Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai 400008, India
| | - Chaitanya Gaikwad
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Topiwala National Medical College & BYL Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai 400008, India
| | - Rajashri Tayshete
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Topiwala National Medical College & BYL Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai 400008, India
| | - Cara Saldanha
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Topiwala National Medical College & BYL Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai 400008, India
| | - Rahi Pednekar
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Topiwala National Medical College & BYL Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai 400008, India
| | - Smita D Mahale
- ICMR-National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai 400012, India
| | - Rahul K Gajbhiye
- ICMR-National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai 400012, India.
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Meyer JA, Roman AS, Limaye M, Grossman TB, Flaifel A, Vaz MJ, Thomas KM, Penfield CA. Association of SARS-CoV-2 placental histopathology findings with maternal-fetal comorbidities and severity of COVID-19 hypoxia. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2021; 35:8412-8418. [PMID: 34542385 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2021.1977791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE SARS-CoV-2 is known to impact multiple organ systems, with growing data to suggest the potential for placental infection and resultant pathology. Understanding how maternal COVID-19 disease can affect placental histopathology has been limited by small study cohorts with mild disease, review by multiple pathologists, and potential confounding by maternal-fetal comorbidities that can also influence placental findings. This study aims to identify pathologic placental findings associated with COVID-19 disease and severity, as well as to distinguish them from changes related to coexisting maternal-fetal comorbidities. METHODS This is an observational study of 61 pregnant women with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection who delivered and had a placental histological evaluation at NYU Langone Health between March 19, 2020 and June 30, 2020. Primary outcomes were the prevalence of placental histopathologic features and their association with maternal-fetal comorbidities and severity of COVID-19 related hypoxia. Analysis was performed using Fisher's exact test and t-test with p < 0.05 considered significant. RESULTS Sixty-one placentas were included in the study cohort, 71% from pregnancies complicated by at least one maternal-fetal comorbidity. Twenty-five percent of placentas were small for gestational age and 77% exhibited at least one feature of maternal vascular malperfusion. None of the histopathologic features in the examined placentas were associated with the presence of any specific maternal-fetal comorbidity. Thirteen percent of the cohort required maternal respiratory support for COVID-19 related hypoxia. Villous trophoblast necrosis was associated with maternal supplemental oxygen requirement (67 vs. 33%, p = 0.04) and intubation (67 vs. 33%, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION In pregnancies complicated by COVID-19 disease, there was a high prevalence of placental histopathologic changes identified, particularly features of maternal vascular malperfusion, which could not be attributed solely to the presence of maternal-fetal comorbidities. The significantly increased prevalence of villous trophoblast necrosis in women needing respiratory support suggests a connection to the severity of COVID-19 illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A Meyer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ashley S Roman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Meghana Limaye
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tracy B Grossman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Abdallah Flaifel
- Department of Pathology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michelle J Vaz
- Department of Pediatrics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kristen M Thomas
- Department of Pathology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christina A Penfield
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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Watkins JC, Torous VF, Roberts DJ. Defining Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Placentitis: A Report of 7 Cases with Confirmatory In Situ Hybridization, Distinct Histomorphologic Features, and Evidence of Complement Deposition. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2021; 145:1341-1349. [PMID: 34338723 DOI: 10.5858/arpa.2021-0246-sa] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT -Case reports and rare case series have demonstrated variable placental pathology in the setting of maternal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. In rare small studies demonstrating infection of the placental parenchyma, histologic manifestations have included variable degrees of histiocytic intervillositis, perivillous fibrin deposition, and syncytiotrophoblast necrosis. OBJECTIVE -To characterize the placental pathological features of SARS-CoV-2 infected placentas, irrespective of fetal-maternal transmission, and to examine the frequency of C4d activation in such cases. DESIGN -Retrospective study of seven placentas from mothers with active SARS-CoV-2 infection and placental infection as demonstrated by RNA in situ hybridization. RESULTS -Six placentas were from live-born neonates (5 singletons, 1 non-fused diamniotic-dichorionic twin placenta), and one was from a stillbirth. Five of the eight neonates (including the stillbirth) tested negative for SARS-CoV-2, and all were negative for neonatal infection. The remaining three neonates were well at time of discharge. All placentas were positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection by RNA in situ hybridization and demonstrated variable degrees of histiocytic intervillositis, perivillous fibrin deposition, and trophoblast necrosis. Three cases demonstrated features of fetal vascular malperfusion. CD68 highlighted intervillous histiocytes. C4d expression was present along the villous borders in 6 of 7 cases. CONCLUSIONS -SARS-CoV-2 placentitis is defined by the triad of histiocytic intervillositis, perivillous fibrin deposition, and trophoblast necrosis. The features may occur in cases without confirmed transplacental transmission. The damage caused by SARS-CoV-2 placentitis is likely mediated by complement activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaclyn C Watkins
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Vanda F Torous
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
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Argueta LB, Lacko LA, Bram Y, Tada T, Carrau L, Zhang T, Uhl S, Lubor BC, Chandar V, Gil C, Zhang W, Dodson B, Bastiaans J, Prabhu M, Salvatore CM, Yang YJ, Baergen RN, tenOever BR, Landau NR, Chen S, Schwartz RE, Stuhlmann H. SARS-CoV-2 Infects Syncytiotrophoblast and Activates Inflammatory Responses in the Placenta. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2021:2021.06.01.446676. [PMID: 34100019 PMCID: PMC8183016 DOI: 10.1101/2021.06.01.446676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy leads to an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Although the placenta itself can be a target of virus infection, most neonates are virus free and are born healthy or recover quickly. Here, we investigated the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the placenta from a cohort of women who were infected late during pregnancy and had tested nasal swab positive for SARS-CoV-2 by qRT-PCR at delivery. SARS-CoV-2 genomic and subgenomic RNA was detected in 23 out of 54 placentas. Two placentas with high virus content were obtained from mothers who presented with severe COVID-19 and whose pregnancies resulted in adverse outcomes for the fetuses, including intrauterine fetal demise and a preterm delivered baby still in newborn intensive care. Examination of the placental samples with high virus content showed efficient SARS-CoV-2 infection, using RNA in situ hybridization to detect genomic and replicating viral RNA, and immunohistochemistry to detect SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein. Infection was restricted to syncytiotrophoblast cells that envelope the fetal chorionic villi and are in direct contact with maternal blood. The infected placentas displayed massive infiltration of maternal immune cells including macrophages into intervillous spaces, potentially contributing to inflammation of the tissue. Ex vivo infection of placental cultures with SARS-CoV-2 or with SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein pseudotyped lentivirus targeted mostly syncytiotrophoblast and in rare events endothelial cells. Infection was reduced by using blocking antibodies against ACE2 and against Neuropilin 1, suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 may utilize alternative receptors for entry into placental cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lissenya B. Argueta
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York 10065, NY, USA
| | | | - Yaron Bram
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Takuya Tada
- Department of Microbiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lucia Carrau
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tuo Zhang
- Genomics Resources Facility, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Skyler Uhl
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brienne C. Lubor
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York 10065, NY, USA
| | - Vasuretha Chandar
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Cristianel Gil
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Wei Zhang
- Genomics Resources Facility, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brittany Dodson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jeroen Bastiaans
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York 10065, NY, USA
| | - Malavika Prabhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christine M. Salvatore
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yawei J. Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rebecca N. Baergen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin R. tenOever
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nathaniel R. Landau
- Department of Microbiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shuibing Chen
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA,Corresponding Authors: Heidi Stuhlmann PhD (lead contact) , Robert Schwartz MD-PhD , Shuibing Chen PhD
| | - Robert E. Schwartz
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA,Corresponding Authors: Heidi Stuhlmann PhD (lead contact) , Robert Schwartz MD-PhD , Shuibing Chen PhD
| | - Heidi Stuhlmann
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York 10065, NY, USA,Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA,Corresponding Authors: Heidi Stuhlmann PhD (lead contact) , Robert Schwartz MD-PhD , Shuibing Chen PhD
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