Stillborn child with diffuse SARS-CoV-2 viral infection of multiple organs
Vsevolod A. Zinserling,
Stefan R. Bornstein,
Tatyana A. Narkevich,
Yulia V. Sukhanova,
Natalia Yu. Semenova,
Maria A. Vashukova,
Charlotte Steenblock
Affiliations
Vsevolod A. Zinserling
V.A. Almazov Research Center, Saint-Petersburg, Russia; S.P. Botkin Infectious Hospital, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Stefan R. Bornstein
Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Department of Diabetes, School of Life Course Science and Medicine, Kings College London, London, UK
Tatyana A. Narkevich
S.P. Botkin Infectious Hospital, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Yulia V. Sukhanova
S.P. Botkin Infectious Hospital, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Natalia Yu. Semenova
V.A. Almazov Research Center, Saint-Petersburg, Russia; S.P. Botkin Infectious Hospital, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Maria A. Vashukova
S.P. Botkin Infectious Hospital, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Charlotte Steenblock
Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Correspondence to: Department of Internal Medicine III, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
In May 2020, a pregnant woman in her 37th pregnancy week was diagnosed with COVID-19 in St. Petersburg in Russia. All treatments failed and the patient died after 11 days due to acute respiratory distress syndrome. A stillborn child was removed by caesarian section. Pathological investigations showed that the child died due to antenatal asphyxia with aspiration pneumonia. The child was positive for SARS-CoV-2 and immunohistochemical investigations showed viral infection and cellular changes in several organs such as pancreas, brain, spleen, and adrenals. These results emphasize the importance of vaccinating pregnant women against SARS-CoV-2.
