Intracranial calcifications in congenital viral infections: mechanisms and cellular roles.

Intracranial calcifications (ICCs) are a characteristic neuropathological feature of several congenital viral infections, including Zika virus (ZIKV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). These lesions are linked to severe neurodevelopmental outcomes, such as microcephaly, epilepsy, and cognitive deficits, yet the mechanisms underlying their formation and resolution remain unclear. ICCs are thought to arise from an imbalance in osteogenic and osteolytic signaling in the developing brain.

Academic and Social-Behavioral Assessment in a Prospective Cohort of Normocephalic School-Aged Children with Antenatal Zika Virus Exposure.

Objectives: Long-term outcomes in children with antenatal Zika virus (ZIKV) exposure without microcephaly are unknown. We assessed academic and social-behavioral outcomes among normocephalic school-aged children with antenatal ZIKV exposure and controls.

Methods: School-aged Zika-exposed children (ZEC) and unexposed controls (ZUC) were recruited in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Evaluating potential associations between prior maternal yellow fever vaccination and protection against infant adverse outcomes following Zika virus antenatal exposure.

Background: During the Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic in Brazil, regional disparities in yellow fever (YF) vaccination coverage and microcephaly incidence led to the hypothesis that maternal YF vaccination could protect against ZIKV infection and microcephaly.

Methods: This case-cohort study was conducted in Campo Grande, Brazil, from 2018 to 2022 and included children with confirmed in utero ZIKV exposure (2015-2018) and a matched control group, totaling 129 mother-child dyads. Maternal blood samples were collected to assess ZIKV exposure and neutralizing YF vaccine-induced antibody (NAb) titers.

Leptospirosis? An epidemiologic investigation following the historic 2024 floods in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

In May 2024, the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul experienced an historic flood that affected millions of people. Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced by the record-breaking flood waters, exposing them to water-borne pathogens, including leptospirosis. With concern for an outbreak, local efforts focused on identifying and treating any potential cases of leptospirosis.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Young U.S. Children: A Socioeconomic Analysis.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted healthcare delivery across the United States (U.S.), including childhood vaccine administration.

How COVID-19 Treatment in Pregnancy Reflects Healthcare Utilization During a Pandemic: A Two-Stage Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis Combining Case-Based Registries.

Purpose: To describe an international response to the COVID-19 pandemic by estimating the prevalence of medication use for COVID-19 treatment in pregnancy, stratified by hospitalization, trimester of pregnancy, and country.

Methods: We conducted a two-stage individual participant data meta-analysis of proportions from primary data on medications used to treat COVID-19 during pregnancy. A common data model was developed to pool the data from single-country and international registries.

A decade later, what have we learned from the Zika epidemic in children with intrauterine exposure?

Since the emergence of the Zika virus epidemic in 2014 and the associated novel sequalae that emerged, much has been learned about the effects of antenatal exposure to Zika virus. Zika virus in pregnancy carries severe teratogenic potential to the fetus, ranging from congenital Zika syndrome to milder neurodevelopmental sequelae. Congenital Zika syndrome is associated with a spectrum of alterations that can affect cognitive, language, and motor development.

Association Between Severity of COVID-19 and Social Determinants of Health with Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes in a Study of Mother-Infant Pairs in Los Angeles, California.

Previous cross-sectional studies have investigated social determinants of health (SDOH) among pregnant women with COVID-19. However, there are scant data on the impact of these determinants on maternal outcomes from cohorts of pregnant women with COVID-19. We evaluated the association between social determinants of health and both COVID-19 severity and adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) in a cohort of pregnant women in Los Angeles (L.

Multi-Year Analysis of Respiratory Viral Dynamics Reveals Significance of Rhinovirus in Young Children with Severe Respiratory Illness.

: We aimed to analyze the landscape of viral respiratory illnesses (VRIs) in a large metropolitan area in Southern California with a focus on the COVID-19 pandemic. : We conducted a retrospective cohort study within the UCLA Health System, which evaluated children aged 0-5 years who received comprehensive respiratory viral panel (cRVP) testing during August-February of 2018-2023. The patient demographics, disease severity, and clinical course were specifically compared during the pandemic.

Development of Maternal Antibodies Post ZIKV in Pregnancy is Associated with Lower Risk of Microcephaly and Structural Brain Abnormalities in Exposed Infants.

Background: We investigated the association between maternal neutralizing antibodies (nAb) to Zika virus (ZIKV) in pregnancy and neonatal outcomes.

Methods: In pregnant participants with confirmed ZIKV infection, we determined trimester of infection, collected sera longitudinally, and measured nAbs via plaque reduction. In neonates, adverse outcomes included microcephaly (MC), structural brain abnormalities (SBA), hearing, and eye abnormalities.

Repercussions of the COVID- 19 pandemic on maternal and congenital syphilis in South Brazil: a time series analysis 2010-2022.

Background: The global increase in maternal and congenital syphilis cases over the past decade has been substantial. In south Brazil, preexisting maternal and congenital syphilis epidemics have been worsened since the onset of COVID- 19. We evaluated the impact of the COVID- 19 pandemic on the epidemiological trends of maternal and congenital syphilis in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Adverse Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes: Time-to-Event Analysis of a Hospital-Based Cohort Study of Pregnant Women in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Unlabelled: Understanding perinatal health outcomes following SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy necessitates large-scale studies of mother-infant dyads. Hospital-based studies of pregnant women and their neonates provide valuable insights within the field of perinatal health research. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on maternal and perinatal outcomes among hospitalized pregnant women in Rio de Janeiro during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Socio-ecological Determinants of Detectable Viremia among Pregnant People Living with HIV in South Brazil: The Role of Stimulant Use Disorder and Homelessness.

Pregnant patients living with HIV are a priority group for the recruitment into the HIV healthcare cascade to prevent adverse maternal and neonatal health outcomes. Understanding the structural, interpersonal, and individual factors that are associated with detectable HIV viremia is of importance to guide outreach and intervention priorities. This was a retrospective cohort study of pregnant patients living with HIV who delivered from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2023, at a tertiary-level hospital and referral institution for HIV care in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Real-world clinical impact of plasma cell-free DNA metagenomic next-generation sequencing assay.

Objective: To describe the real-world clinical impact of a commercially available plasma cell-free DNA metagenomic next-generation sequencing assay, the Karius test (KT).

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the clinical impact of KT by clinical panel adjudication. Descriptive statistics were used to study associations of diagnostic indications, host characteristics, and KT-generated microbiologic patterns with the clinical impact of KT.

Neurodevelopmental Follow-Up in Children with Intrauterine and Perinatal Exposure to Chikungunya Virus.

Objective: To investigate the effects of intrauterine and perinatal exposure to chikungunya virus (CHIKV) on neurodevelopment in infants and toddlers.

Study Design: We conducted a cohort study comparing children with intrauterine or perinatal exposure to maternal CHIKV infection with unexposed controls in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Neurodevelopment was assessed with General Movement Assessments in the first 6 months of life, and the Bayley-III Scales of Infant and Toddler Development and Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers for older children.

Early and Long-Term Adverse Outcomes of In Utero Zika Exposure.

Background: Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy can lead to congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) and may result in neurodevelopmental alterations in exposed children, with and without CZS. This study aimed to evaluate ZIKV infection during pregnancy as a risk factor for early and long-term adverse outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective-prospective, matched cohort study was conducted in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.

Deep learning empowered sensor fusion boosts infant movement classification.

Background: To assess the integrity of the developing nervous system, the Prechtl general movement assessment (GMA) is recognized for its clinical value in diagnosing neurological impairments in early infancy. GMA has been increasingly augmented through machine learning approaches intending to scale-up its application, circumvent costs in the training of human assessors and further standardize classification of spontaneous motor patterns. Available deep learning tools, all of which are based on single sensor modalities, are however still considerably inferior to that of well-trained human assessors.

The Benefits of COVID-19 Vaccination for Pregnant Patients Hospitalized with Respiratory Symptoms: A Retrospective Cohort Study in South Brazil.

Objectives: SARS-CoV-2 infection is a known risk factor for adverse health outcomes in pregnancy, affecting both maternal and neonatal health. Mounting evidence suggests that even a single dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine protects against severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and is safe for both pregnant persons and neonates. Southern Brazil was heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the protective effects of the vaccine on maternal and neonatal health are not well described.

Prompt Initiation of Maternal Antiretroviral Therapy After HIV Seroconversion in Pregnancy Effectively Prevents Vertical Transmission and Other Adverse Infant Outcomes.

From January 2008 to December 2018, 1348 HIV-exposed infants were born in Porto Alegre, Brazil; 18.8% had adverse infant outcomes (AIO) including vertical transmission (1.9%), stillbirth/neonatal death (4.

SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 drives osteoclastogenesis in preexisting immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.

Patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 and long-term complications in bone health. Emerging clinical evidence demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 infection reduces bone turnover and promotes bone loss, but the mechanism underlying worsened bone health remains elusive. This study sought to identify specific immune mediators that exacerbated preexisting IMIDs after SARS-CoV-2 exposure.

The impact of COVID-19 mitigation measures on neonatal health outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: To assess the relationship between COVID-19 mitigation measures and stillbirth, low birth weight (LBW), and preterm birth (PTB) in sub-Saharan Africa.

Study Design: Systematic review/meta-analysis.

Methods: We searched six databases for literature indexed from January 2020 to December 2022 for studies examining COVID-19 policies and neonatal outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa.

Transplacental SARS-CoV-2 protein ORF8 binds to complement C1q to trigger fetal inflammation.

Prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with higher rates of pregnancy and birth complications, despite that vertical transmission rates are thought to be low. Here, multi-omics analyses of human placental tissues, cord tissues/plasma, and amniotic fluid from 23 COVID-19 mother-infant pairs revealed robust inflammatory responses in both maternal and fetal compartments. Pronounced expression of complement proteins (C1q, C3, C3b, C4, C5) and inflammatory cytokines (TNF, IL-1α, and IL-17A/E) was detected in the fetal compartment of COVID-19-affected pregnancies.