Expanded targeted screening for congenital cytomegalovirus infection.

An early diagnosis and intervention for congenital cytomegalovirus infection can reduce long-term disability; however, the introduction of universal neonatal screening has been controversial worldwide. The present study clarified the outcome of a targeted screening protocol for detecting congenital cytomegalovirus infection based on suggestive perinatal conditions. In addition, the positive rate was compared to those from the reported studies and the validity of the targeted screening criteria was discussed. A total of 2121 newborn infants were admitted to our hospital between October 2018 and October 2021. Cytomegalovirus DNA was examined by the isothermal nucleic acid amplification method for urine samples from newborns with any of the following: microcephaly, abnormal ultrasound findings in the brain and visceral organs, repeated failure in neonatal hearing screening, suspicious maternal cytomegalovirus infection during pregnancy, and other abnormal findings suggestive of congenital cytomegalovirus infection. Among 2121 newborns, 102 (4.8%) were subject to the urine cytomegalovirus DNA test based on the abovementioned criteria. Of them, three were cytomegalovirus DNA-positive. According to the protocol, the cytomegalovirus DNA-positive rates were 0.14% among the total enrollment of 2121 newborns and 2.9% (3/102) among the targeted newborns. This protocol may overlook congenital cytomegalovirus infection that is asymptomatic or exhibits inapparent clinical manifestations only at birth; however, it is feasible and helps lead to the diagnosis of congenital cytomegalovirus infection that may otherwise be overlooked.

The levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in premature infants with perinatal infections.

Intrauterine infections are an urgent problem of modern neonatology. One of the causes of intrauterine infective foetal lesions is physiological immunosuppression. The purpose of this study is to investigate the cytokine status in newborns infected with perinatal infections, depending on their body weight. The study examined 145 newborns. Taking into account their body weight, they were divided into 2 groups: main and secondary. The study was conducted in the immunological laboratory of the Medical Centre of Marat Ospanov West Kazakhstan Medical University in the city of Aktobe, with the determination of the level of IgM and IgG to the herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1, 2, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and chlamydia using the MULTISKANASCENT analyser with the "Chemo" T system. The main results of this study are the predominance of the anti-inflammatory component in both normal weight and underweight infants, which is evidence of the Th-cell-mediated immune response prevalence. The applied value of this study lies in the possibility of applying its results in practice to obtain effective methods to counteract the occurrence and development of intrauterine infections.

Impact of maternal antibodies and microbiota development on the immunogenicity of oral rotavirus vaccine in African, Indian, and European infants.

Identifying risk factors for impaired oral rotavirus vaccine (ORV) efficacy in low-income countries may lead to improvements in vaccine design and delivery. In this prospective cohort study, we measure maternal rotavirus antibodies, environmental enteric dysfunction (EED), and bacterial gut microbiota development among infants receiving two doses of Rotarix in India (n = 307), Malawi (n = 119), and the UK (n = 60), using standardised methods across cohorts. We observe ORV shedding and seroconversion rates to be significantly lower in Malawi and India than the UK. Maternal rotavirus-specific antibodies in serum and breastmilk are negatively correlated with ORV response in India and Malawi, mediated partly by a reduction in ORV shedding. In the UK, ORV shedding is not inhibited despite comparable maternal antibody levels to the other cohorts. In both India and Malawi, increased microbiota diversity is negatively correlated with ORV immunogenicity, suggesting that high early-life microbial exposure may contribute to impaired vaccine efficacy.

The association between maternal cytomegalovirus urinary excretion and congenital infection rate.

BACKGROUND: In utero Cytomegalovirus (CMV) vertical transmission occurs predominantly during primary maternal infection. There are no known non-invasive methods for diagnosis of fetal infection before delivery, however some risk factors have been suggested. We aimed to evaluate the association between maternal CMV urinary excretion and congenital CMV infection. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of all women who were diagnosed with primary CMV infection during pregnancy in a single university affiliated tertiary medical center, between 2012 and 2016. We examined congenital CMV infection and disease rates among infants born to women with and without CMV urinary excretion. RESULTS: Overall, 126 women were included, 77 in the positive urinary excretion group, and 49 in the negative urinary excretion group. There was no difference in maternal symptoms between the groups. We found no difference in congenital CMV infection and disease rates between infants born to women with and without urinary excretion of CMV (congenital infection rate 37.1% vs. 24.4%, p = 0.209, congenital disease rate of 18.2% vs. 22.4%, p = 0.648). Women with positive urinary CMV excretion had lower IgG avidity values (36.7% vs 54.6%, p = 0.007), with no additional difference in serology pattern. Compared to asymptomatic women, those with CMV related symptoms did not have significantly higher rates of urinary excretion of CMV (70% vs. 60.5%, p = 0.38) or congenital infection rates (40.7% vs. 31.2%, p = 0.48). CONCLUSION: Among infants of women with primary CMV infection in pregnancy, we did not find an association between urinary excretion of CMV and congenital CMV infection.

The legacy of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection on the immunology of the neonate.

Despite extensive studies into severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the effect of maternal infection on the neonate is unclear. To investigate this, we characterized the immunology of neonates born to mothers with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy. Here we show that maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection affects the neonatal immune system. Despite similar proportions of B cells, CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells, increased percentages of natural killer cells, Vδ2+ γδ T cells and regulatory T cells were detected in neonates born to mothers with recent or ongoing infection compared with those born to recovered or uninfected mothers. Increased plasma cytokine levels were also evident in neonates and mothers within the recent or ongoing infection group. Cytokine functionality was enhanced in neonates born to SARS-CoV-2-exposed mothers, compared to those born to uninfected mothers. In most neonates, this immune imprinting was nonspecific, suggesting vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is limited, a finding supported by a lack of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgM in neonates despite maternal IgG transfer.

Congenital Zika Infection and the Risk of Neurodevelopmental, Neurological, and Urinary Track Disorders in Early Childhood. A Systematic Review.

It was late 2015 when Northeast Brazil noticed a worrying increase in neonates born with microcephaly and other congenital malformations. These abnormalities, characterized by an abnormally small head and often neurological impairment and later termed Congenital Zika Syndrome, describe the severity of neurodevelopmental and nephrological outcomes in early childhood, and the implication of microcephaly at birth. The purpose of the study was to describe the neurodevelopmental outcomes in children exposed to Zika virus during fetal life, with and without microcephaly at birth. The systematic review included research studies about the neurodevelopmental outcomes with and without microcephaly, as well as nephrological outcomes in early childhood. We searched PubMed, Crossref, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Google Scholar publications and selected 19 research articles published from 2018 to 2021. Most studies have linked the severity of microcephaly in childbirth to the neurodevelopmental and urinary outcomes in early childhood. However, most children without microcephaly at birth develop typically, while others may be at risk for language impairment.

Ischemic Lesions in the Brain of a Neonate With SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

AIM: To describe a term newborn with acquired severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and multisystem involvement including seizures associated to ischemic lesions in the brain. BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is predominantly a respiratory infection, but it may affect many other systems. Most pediatric COVID-19 cases range from asymptomatic to mild-moderate disease. There are no specific clinical signs described for neonatal COVID-19 infections. In children, severe central nervous system compromise has been rarely reported. CASE DESCRIPTION: We describe a 17-day-old newborn who acquired a SARS-CoV-2 infection in a family meeting that was admitted for fever, seizures and lethargy and in whom consumption coagulopathy, ischemic lesions in the brain and cardiac involvement were documented. CONCLUSIONS: SARS-CoV-2 neonatal infection can be associated with multi-organic involvement. In our patient, significant central nervous system compromise associated to ischemic lesions and laboratory findings of consumption coagulopathy were found. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Although neonatal SARS-CoV-2 infections are infrequent, they can be associated with multi-organic involvement. Neonatologists and pediatricians should be aware of this unusual way of presentation of COVID-19 in newborn infants.

Vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2: A prospective cross-sectional study from a tertiary center.

The aim was to investigate the association of the delivery mode and vertical transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) through the samples of vaginal secretions, placenta, cord blood, or amniotic fluid as well as the neonatal outcomes. This cross-sectional study presents an analysis of prospectively gathered data collected at a single tertiary hospital. Sixty-three pregnant women with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) participated in the study. Vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 was analyzed with reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests and blood tests for immunoglobulin G (IgG)-immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies. All patients were in the mild or moderate category for COVID-19. Only one placental sample and two of the vaginal secretion samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2. Except for one, all positive samples were obtained from patients who gave birth by cesarean. All cord blood and amniotic fluid samples were negative for SARS-CoV-2. Two newborns were screened positive for COVID-19 IgG-IgM within 24 h after delivery, but the RT-PCR tests were negative. A positive RT-PCR result was detected in a neof a mother whose placenta, cord blood, amniotic fluid, and vaginal secretions samples were negative. He died due to pulmonary hemorrhage on the 11th day of life. In conclusion, we demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 can be detectable in the placenta or vaginal secretions of pregnant women. Detection of the virus in the placenta or vaginal secretions may not be associated with neonatal infection. Vaginal delivery may not increase the incidence of neonatal infection, and cesarean may not prevent vertical transmission. The decision regarding the mode of delivery should be based on obstetric indications and COVID-19 severity.

Vertical transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2: A scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: The evidence for vertical transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is not well established. Therefore, the objective of this review is to summarize emerging evidence on the vertical transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search in PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and CENTRAL. Likewise, a search for preprint publications was conducted using MedRxiv and Research Square. Studies that addressed vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (concept) among pregnant women infected by Covid-19 (population) in any setting (community, hospital, or home) in any country or context were considered for inclusion. Any types of studies or reports published between December 2019 and September 2020 addressing the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on pregnant women and their newborn babies were included. Studies were screened for eligibility against the inclusion criteria for the review by two reviewers. RESULTS: We identified 51 studies reporting 336 newborns screened for COVID-19. From the 336 newborns screened for COVID-19, only 15 (4.4%) were positive for throat swab RT-PCR. All neonates with positive throat swab RT-PCR were delivered by cesarean section. Among neonates with throat swab SARS-CoV-2 positive only five (33.3%) had concomitant placenta, amniotic fluid, and cord blood samples tested, of which only one amniotic fluid sample is positive for RT PCR. Five neonates had elevated IgG and IgM but without intrauterine tissue tested. Four neonates had chest imaging suggestive of COVID-19 pneumonia. CONCLUSION: Currently there is not enough evidence on vertical virologic transmission of COVID-19 infection during the third trimester of pregnancy. Additionally, there is no evidence to support cesarean delivery, abstaining from breast feeding nor mother and infant separation. Further research involving an adequate sample size of breast milk, placenta, amniotic fluid, and cord blood to ascertain the possibility of vertical transmission and breast milk transfer is needed.

Association of Maternal Perinatal SARS-CoV-2 Infection With Neonatal Outcomes During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Massachusetts.

Importance: The incidence of mother-to-newborn SARS-CoV-2 transmission appears low and may be associated with biological and social factors. However, data are limited on the factors associated with neonatal clinical or viral testing outcomes. Objective: To ascertain the percentage of neonates who were born to mothers with positive SARS-CoV-2 test results during the birth hospitalization, the clinical and sociodemographic factors associated with neonatal test result positivity, and the clinical and virological outcomes for newborns during hospitalization and 30 days after discharge. Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter cohort study included 11 academic or community hospitals in Massachusetts and mother-neonate dyads whose delivery and discharge occurred between March 1, 2020, and July 31, 2020. Eligible dyads were identified at each participating hospital through local COVID-19 surveillance and infection control systems. Neonates were born to mothers with positive SARS-CoV-2 test results within 14 days before to 72 hours after delivery, and neonates were followed up for 30 days after birth hospital discharge. Exposures: Hypothesized maternal risk factors in neonatal test result positivity included maternal COVID-19 symptoms, vaginal delivery, rooming-in practice, Black race or Hispanic ethnicity, and zip code-derived social vulnerability index. Delivery indicated by worsening maternal COVID-19 symptoms was hypothesized to increase the risk of adverse neonatal health outcomes. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes for neonates were (1) positive SARS-CoV-2 test results, (2) indicators of adverse health, and (3) clinical signs and viral testing. Test result positivity was defined as at least 1 positive result on a specimen obtained by nasopharyngeal swab using a polymerase chain reaction-based method. Clinical and testing data were obtained from electronic medical records of nonroutine health care visits within 30 days after hospital discharge. Results: The cohort included 255 neonates (mean [SD] gestational age at birth, 37.9 [2.6] weeks; 62 [24.3%] with low birth weight or preterm delivery) with 250 mothers (mean [SD] age, 30.4 [6.3] years; 121 [48.4%] were of Hispanic ethnicity). Of the 255 neonates who were born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection, 225 (88.2%) were tested for SARS-CoV-2 and 5 (2.2%) had positive results during the birth hospitalization. High maternal social vulnerability was associated with higher likelihood of neonatal test result positivity (adjusted odds ratio, 4.95; 95% CI, 1.53-16.01; P = .008), adjusted for maternal COVID-19 symptoms, delivery mode, and rooming-in practice. Adverse outcomes during hospitalization were associated with preterm delivery indicated by worsening maternal COVID-19 symptoms. Of the 151 newborns with follow-up data, 28 had nonroutine clinical visits, 7 underwent SARS-CoV-2 testing, and 1 had a positive result. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings emphasize the importance of both biological and social factors in perinatal SARS-CoV-2 infection outcomes. Newborns exposed to SARS-CoV-2 were at risk for both direct and indirect adverse health outcomes, supporting efforts of ongoing surveillance of the virus and long-term follow-up.

The frequency of cytomegalovirus non-ELR UL146 genotypes in neonates with congenital CMV disease is comparable to strains in the background population.

BACKGROUND: Congenital cytomegalovirus disease (cCMV) is common and can be fatal or cause severe sequelae. Circulating strains of cytomegalovirus carry a high number of variable or disrupted genes. One of these is UL146, a highly diverse gene with 14 distinct genotypes encoding a CXC-chemokine involved in viral dissemination. UL146 genotypes 5 and 6 lack the conserved ELR motif, potentially affecting strain virulence. Here, we investigate whether UL146 genotypes 5 and 6 were associated with congenital CMV infection. METHODS: Viral DNA was extracted and UL146 sequenced from 116 neonatal dried blood spots (DBS) stored in the Danish National Biobank since 1982 and linked to registered cCMV cases through a personal identifier. These sequences were compared to UL146 control sequences obtained from CMV DNA extracted from 83 urine samples from children with suspected bacterial urinary tract infections. RESULTS: Three non-ELR UL146 genotypes (5 and 6) were observed among the cases (2.6%) and two were observed among the controls (2.4%; P > 0.99). Additionally, no significant association with cCMV was found for the other 12 genotypes in a post-hoc analysis, although genotype 8 showed a tendency to be more frequent among cases with 12 observations against three (P = 0.10). All fourteen genotypes were found to have little intra-genotype variation. Viral load, gender, and sample age were not found to be associated with any particular UL146 genotype. CONCLUSIONS: No particular UL146 genotype was associated with cCMV in this nationwide retrospective case-control study. Associations between CMV disease and disrupted or polymorph CMV genes among immunosuppressed people living with HIV/AIDS and transplant recipients should be investigated in future studies.

Mother-Infant Dyads with COVID-19 at an Urban, Safety-Net Hospital: Clinical Manifestations and Birth Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe maternal characteristics and clinical outcomes of infants born to mothers with positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) tests during pregnancy at an urban, safety-net hospital in Boston. STUDY DESIGN: We abstracted electronic chart data from 75 pregnant women with positive SARS-CoV-2 tests at any stage of gestation until 72 hours after birth who delivered consecutively between March 31 and August 6, 2020 at our center. We collected clinical data on maternal and infant characteristics, including testing, signs, and symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), delivery outcomes, newborn care practices (skin-to-skin care, location of care, and breastfeeding) and 30-day postdischarge infant emergency room visits and readmissions. We described categorical characteristics as percentages for this case series. RESULTS: Among 75 pregnant women, 47 (63%) were Hispanic, 10 (13%) had hypertension, 23 (30%) had prepregnancy obesity, and 57 (76%) had symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. Regarding birth outcomes, 32 (41%) had cesarean delivery and 14 (19%) had preterm birth. Among 75 infants, 5 (7%) had positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction tests in the first week of life, all of whom were born to Hispanic mothers with symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection and had clinical courses consistent with gestational age. Six (8%) infants visited the emergency department within 30 days of discharge; one was admitted with a non-COVID-19 diagnosis. CONCLUSION: At our urban, safety-net hospital among pregnant women with positive SARS-CoV-2 tests, 41% had a cesarean delivery and 19% had a preterm birth. Seven percent of infants had one or more positive SARS-CoV-2 tests and all infants had clinical courses expected for gestational age. KEY POINTS: · Among 75 pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 positive testing at our center, five infants (7%) had one or more SARS-CoV-2 positive tests in the first week of life.. · Infants with positive SARS-CoV-2 tests had clinical courses expected for gestational age..

Presumptive Neonatal Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children Associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to alert the neonatal community to the possibility of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) like disease in critically ill neonates born to mothers with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). STUDY DESIGN: Diagnosis of MIS-C like disease was pursued after echocardiography showed severely depressed ventricular function and pathological coronary artery dilation in the setting of medically refractory multisystem organ failure and maternal COVID-19 infection. The neonate did not respond to standard medical therapy, and there was no alternative disease that could explain the clinical course. High index of clinical suspicion coupled with low risk of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) prompted us to pursue IVIG administration even though the neonate did not meet classic criteria for MIS-C. RESULT: Following treatment with IVIG, there was rapid clinical improvement. Ventricular function improved within 15 hours and coronary artery dilation resolved in 8 days. There was no recurrence of disease during follow-up. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 associated MIS-C like disease has not been well described in neonates. As typical features may be conspicuously absent, a high index of suspicion is warranted in critically ill neonates born to mothers with COVID-19. Echocardiography may provide critical diagnostic information and narrow the differential diagnosis. KEY POINTS: · COVID-19 associated MIS-C can present in neonates.. · Echocardiography is helpful in raising suspicion for MIS-C in neonates.. · Consider MIS-C in the differential diagnosis of ill neonates born to mothers with COVID-19..

Neonatal Outcomes From Arboviruses in the Perinatal Period: A State-of-the-Art Review.

Since the 2016 Zika outbreak and the understanding of the teratogenic effect of this infection, there has been a newfound interest in arbovirus infections and their effects on pregnancy, resulting in numerous publications in the last 5 years. However, limited literature focuses on arbovirus infection in different stages of pregnancy and their effect on the neonate. There is currently no consensus management of perinatal acquisition of arboviruses, and current evidence is largely anecdotal observational reports. Teratogens can have different effects on the developing fetus depending on the time of infection, so infections during pregnancy should be analyzed by trimester. A better understanding of arbovirus infection in the perinatal period is required to assist obstetric, neonatal, and pediatric clinicians in making decisions about the management of mother and neonate. Our objective was to assess the evidence of adverse neonatal outcomes for several arboviral infections when contracted during the perinatal period to guide clinicians in managing these patients. There are 8 arboviruses for which neonatal outcomes from maternal acquisition in the perinatal period have been reported, with the most data for dengue and Chikungunya virus infections. The evidence reviewed in this article supports the adoption of preventive strategies to avoid ticks and mosquitoes close to the date of delivery. For the other arbovirus infections, further community-based cohort studies during outbreaks are required to evaluate whether these infections have a similar teratogenic impact.

COVID-19 and developmental origins of health and disease.

From the moment of the identification of SARS-CoV-2 as an etiological agent of the severe clinical pictures of pneumonia that were being slowly observed all over the world, numerous studies have been conducted to increase the knowledge about what was an unknown virus until then. The efforts were mainly aimed to acquire epidemiological, microbiological, pathogenetic, clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive information in order to increase the available weapons to fight an infection which was rapidly taking on the characteristics of the pandemic. Given the topicality of the problem, not everything has yet been fully understood and clarified, especially in the maternal-fetal­neonatal field, where we are beginning to question what could be the outcomes of newborn babies born to mothers who contracted SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy. Thus, the aim of this review is to analyze the long-term outcomes of this infection that could affect the offspring, regardless of a possible maternal-fetal transmission, focusing on, above all, the role of maternal immune activation and the expression of the Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in particular at the placental level.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of pregnant women with COVID-19 and comparison with control patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

In a large-scale study, 128176 non-pregnant patients (228 studies) and 10000 pregnant patients (121 studies) confirmed COVID-19 cases included in this Meta-Analysis. The mean (confidence interval [CI]) of age and gestational age of admission (GA) in pregnant women was 33 (28-37) years old and 36 (34-37) weeks, respectively. Pregnant women show the same manifestations of COVID-19 as non-pregnant adult patients. Fever (pregnant: 75.5%; non-pregnant: 74%) and cough (pregnant: 48.5%; non-pregnant: 53.5%) are the most common symptoms in both groups followed by myalgia (26.5%) and chill (25%) in pregnant and dysgeusia (27%) and fatigue (26.5%) in non-pregnant patients. Pregnant women are less probable to show cough (odds ratio [OR] 0.7; 95% CI 0.67-0.75), fatigue (OR: 0.58; CI: 0.54-0.61), sore throat (OR: 0.66; CI: 0.61-0.7), headache (OR: 0.55; CI: 0.55-0.58) and diarrhea (OR: 0.46; CI: 0.4-0.51) than non-pregnant adult patients. The most common imaging found in pregnant women is ground-glass opacity (57%) and in non-pregnant patients is consolidation (76%). Pregnant women have higher proportion of leukocytosis (27% vs. 14%), thrombocytopenia (18% vs. 12.5%) and have lower proportion of raised C-reactive protein (52% vs. 81%) compared with non-pregnant patients. Leucopenia and lymphopenia are almost the same in both groups. The most common comorbidity in pregnant patients is diabetes (18%) and in non-pregnant patients is hypertension (21%). Case fatality rate (CFR) of non-pregnant hospitalized patients is 6.4% (4.4-8.5), and mortality due to all-cause for pregnant patients is 11.3% (9.6-13.3). Regarding the complications of pregnancy, postpartum hemorrhage (54.5% [7-94]), caesarean delivery (48% [42-54]), preterm labor (25% [4-74]) and preterm birth (21% [12-34]) are in turn the most prevalent complications. Comparing the pregnancy outcomes show that caesarean delivery (OR: 3; CI: 2-5), low birth weight (LBW) (OR: 9; CI: 2.4-30) and preterm birth (OR: 2.5; CI: 1.5-3.5) are more probable in pregnant woman with COVID-19 than pregnant women without COVID-19. The most prevalent neonatal complications are neonatal intensive care unit admission (43% [2-96]), fetal distress (30% [12-58]) and LBW (25% [16-37]). The rate of vertical transmission is 5.3% (1.3-16), and the rate of positive SARS-CoV-2 test for neonates born to mothers with COVID-19 is 8% (4-16). Overall, pregnant patients present with the similar clinical characteristics of COVID-19 when compared with the general population, but they may be more asymptomatic. Higher odds of caesarean delivery, LBW and preterm birth among pregnant patients with COVID-19 suggest a possible association between COVID-19 infection and pregnancy complications. Low risk of vertical transmission is present, and SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in all conception products, particularly placenta and breast milk. Interpretations of these results should be done cautiously due to the heterogeneity between studies; however, we believe our findings can guide the prenatal and postnatal considerations for COVID-19 pregnant patients.

Adverse fetal and neonatal outcomes in pregnancies with confirmed Zika Virus infection in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: A cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze adverse fetal and neonatal outcomes of Zika virus infection by the timing of infection during pregnancy. Method: Cohort study of 190 pregnancies with 193 offspring with a positive RT-PCR test for Zika virus (March/2016 to April/2017). RESULTS: Death or defects related to congenital Zika virus infection were identified in 37.3% of fetuses and newborns, and microcephaly in 21.4% of the newborns. The proportion of small for gestational age newborns was 21.9%. Maternal symptoms in the first trimester were significantly associated with the birth of newborns with microcephaly/cerebral atrophy, small for gestational age and with the deaths (one abortion, one stillbirth and the two neonatal deaths). Maternal infection during the second trimester was further associated with asymptomatic newborns at birth. The study showed that 58.5% of the offspring with microcephaly and / or cortical atrophy were small for gestational age, with an evident decrease in symptomatic offspring without microcephaly, 24.1%, and with only 9.1% in the asymptomatic group. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the earlier the symptoms appear during gestation, the more severe the endpoints. We found a higher percentage of small for gestational age newborns exposed to Zika virus early in gestation. We also found a group of apparently asymptomatic newborns with proven Zika infection, which highlights the importance of follow up studies in this population.

Longitudinal Survey of COVID-19 Burden and Related Policies in U.S. Neonatal Intensive Care Units.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of confirmed novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease or infants under investigation among a cohort of U.S. neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Secondarily, to evaluate hospital policies regarding maternal COVID-19 screening and related to those infants born to mothers under investigation or confirmed to have COVID-19. STUDY DESIGN: Serial cross-sectional surveys of MEDNAX-affiliated NICUs from March 26 to April 3, April 8 to April 19, May 4 to May 22, and July 13 to August 2, 2020. The surveys included questions regarding COVID-19 patient burden and policies regarding infant separation, feeding practices, and universal maternal screening. RESULTS: Among 386 MEDNAX-affiliated NICUs, responses were received from 153 (42%), 160 (44%), 165 (45%), 148 (38%) across four rounds representing an active patient census of 3,465, 3,486, 3,452, and 3,442 NICU admitted patients on the day of survey completion. Confirmed COVID-19 disease in NICU admitted infants was rare, with the prevalence rising from 0.03 (1 patient) to 0.44% (15 patients) across the four survey rounds, while the prevalence of patients under investigation increased from 0.8 to 2.6%. Hospitals isolating infants from COVID-19-positive mothers fell from 46 to 20% between the second and fourth surveys, while centers permitting direct maternal breastfeeding increased 17 to 47% over the same period. Centers reporting universal severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) screening for all expectant mothers increased from 52 to 69%. CONCLUSION: Among a large cohort of NICU infants, the prevalence of infants under investigation or with confirmed neonatal COVID-19 disease was low. Policies regarding universal maternal screening for SARS-CoV-2, infant isolation from positive mothers, and direct maternal breastfeeding for infants born to positive mothers are rapidly evolving. As universal maternal screening for SARS-CoV-2 becomes more common, the impact of these policies requires further investigation. KEY POINTS: · In this cohort, neonatal COVID-19 is rare.. · Policies regarding isolation and breastfeeding for infants are rapidly evolving.. · Most hospitals are now providing universal screening for expectant mothers for SARS-CoV-2..