Fetal brain vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2 infection (2023)
In the current study, our results demonstrate that a COVID-19 infection during pregnancy causes more severe disease in the mother, with increased viral dissemination compared to a non-pregnant state. Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 transmission from mother to fetus does occur during later stages of gestation, possibly through the circulatory system. In the fetal brain, we found that SARS-CoV-2 infects blood vessels, neurons, glial cells, and cells of the choroid plexus, and leads to an increase in gliosis even after viral clearance. Early developmental differences were also observed between groups.
