Vertical Transmission of SARS-Cov-2 Delta-Variant in a Preterm Infant

Authors

Muhammad T. Zia, Department of Pediatrics, Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.
Kishan Kumar, Department of Pediatrics, Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.
Edmund La Gamma, Department of Pediatrics, Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.
Fauzia Shakeel, Department of Pediatrics, Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.
Iman Hanna, Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Hospital-Long Island, New York University Grossman Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, NY, USA.
Xinhua Lin, Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, NYU Langone Hospital-Long Island, New York University Grossman Long Island School of Medicine, 259 First Street, Mineola, NY, 11501, USA.
Nazeeh Hanna, Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, NYU Langone Hospital-Long Island, New York University Grossman Long Island School of Medicine, 259 First Street, Mineola, NY, 11501, USA. nazeehhanna@gmail.com.

Author Type(s)

Faculty

Journal Title

Bmc Infectious Diseases

First Page

537

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-28-2024

Department

Pediatrics

Abstract

BACKGROUND: As SARS-CoV-2 continues to be relevant and cause illnesses, the effect of emerging virus variants on perinatal health remains to be elucidated. It was demonstrated that vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is a relatively rare event in the original SARS-CoV-2 strain. However, very few reports describe vertical transmission related to the delta-variant. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a preterm male neonate born to a mother with positive SARS-CoV-2 and mild respiratory complications. The neonate was born by cesarean section due to fetal distress. The rupture of the amniotic membrane was at delivery. The neonate had expected prematurity-related complications. His nasopharyngeal swabs for RT-PCR were positive from birth till three weeks of age. RT-ddPCR of the Placenta showed a high load of the SARS-CoV-2 virus with subgenomic viral RNA. RNAscope technique demonstrated both the positive strand of the S gene and the orf1ab negative strand. Detection of subgenomic RNA and the orf1ab negative strand indicats active viral replication in the placenta. CONCLUSIONS: Our report demonstrates active viral replication of the SARS-CoV-2 delta-variant in the placenta associated with vertical transmission in a preterm infant.

Recommended Citation

Zia, M. T., Kumar, K., Gamma, E. L., Shakeel, F., Hanna, I., Lin, X., & Hanna, N. (2024). Vertical Transmission of SARS-Cov-2 Delta-Variant in a Preterm Infant. Bmc Infectious Diseases, 24 (1), 537. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-024-09420-y