Analysis of complement deposition and viral RNA in placentas of COVID-19 patients

COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel Coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, is increasingly being recognized as a systemic thrombotic and microvascular injury syndrome that may have its roots in complement activation. We had the opportunity to study the placental pathology of five full-term births to COVID-1...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annals of diagnostic pathology 2020-06, Vol.46, p.151530-151530, Article 151530
Main Authors: Mulvey, J. Justin, Magro, Cynthia M., Ma, Lucy X., Nuovo, Gerard J., Baergen, Rebecca N.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Betacoronavirus - genetics
Coronavirus Infections - complications
Coronavirus Infections - virology
COVID-19
Female
Humans
Pandemics
Placenta - virology
Pneumonia, Viral - complications
Pneumonia, Viral - virology
Pregnancy
RNA, Viral - genetics
SARS-CoV-2
Thrombosis - etiology
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel Coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, is increasingly being recognized as a systemic thrombotic and microvascular injury syndrome that may have its roots in complement activation. We had the opportunity to study the placental pathology of five full-term births to COVID-19 patients. All five exhibited histology indicative of fetal vascular malperfusion characterized by focal avascular villi and thrombi in larger fetal vessels. Vascular complement deposition in the placentas was not abnormal, and staining for viral RNA and viral spike protein was negative. While all cases resulted in healthy, term deliveries, these findings indicate the systemic nature of COVID-19 infection. The finding of vascular thrombosis without complement deposition may reflect the systemic nature of COVID-19's procoagulant effects unrelated to systemic complement activation. •This paper explores thrombosis in the placentas COVID-19-positive patients at our hospital•Potential prothrombotic mechanisms are explored.•Direct infection of the placentas is ruled out as a cause.
ISSN:1092-9134
1532-8198
DOI:10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2020.151530