To investigate whether SARS-CoV-2 protein or RNA persists in placental tissue months (specify duration) after maternal COVID-19 infection.
Key Findings:
No detectable SARS-CoV-2 protein or RNA in placental tissue from recovered cases, even with residual inflammatory lesions.
Among recovered cases, 3 resulted in stillbirths (42.9%), while 4 resulted in healthy live births (57.1%).
Acute COVID-19 placentitis showed diffuse staining for SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein and RNA.
Interpretation:
The absence of detectable SARS-CoV-2 in placental tissue suggests that persistent infection is unlikely after maternal recovery, with placental pathology potentially linked to immune-mediated processes rather than ongoing viral infection.
Limitations:
Small sample size limits the generalizability of findings and may affect the accuracy of estimating placental viral persistence frequency.
Retrospective design restricts precise estimation of placental viral persistence frequency.
Conclusion:
SARS-CoV-2 protein and RNA are not detectable in placental tissue months after maternal COVID-19, indicating no viral persistence post-recovery.
