PreprintCited by 51Long-Term Effects of COVID-19COVID-19 Clinical Research StudiesSARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research

SARS-CoV-2 Infection in the Central Nervous System of a 1-Year-Old Infant Submitted to Complete Autopsy

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Gomes, Ismael Carlos, Karmirian, Karina, Oliveira, Julia, Pedrosa, Carolina, Rosman, Fernando Colonna, Chimelli, Leila, Rehen, Stevens·2020·The Lancet Regional Health - Americas

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was initially characterized as a respiratory illness. Neurological manifestations were reported mostly in severely affected patients. Routes for brain infection and the presence of virus particles in situ have not been well described, raising controversy about how the virus causes neurological symptoms. Here, we report the autopsy findings of a 1-year old infant with COVID-19. In addition to pneumonitis, meningitis and multiple organ damage related to thrombosis, a previous encephalopathy may have contributed to additional cerebral damage. SARS-CoV-2 infected the choroid plexus, ventricles, and cerebral cortex. This is the first evidence of SARS-CoV-2 detection in an infant post-mortem brain.

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  • SARS-CoV-2 seems to invade infants' brains, since immunohistochemical analysis of the postmortem brain of a 1-year-old infant showed positive staining in the choroid plexus, ventricles and cerebral cortex.

    “SARS-CoV-2 also seems to invade infants’ brains, since immunohistochemical analysis of the postmortem brain of a 1-year-old infant showed positive staining in the choroid plexus, ventricles and cerebral cortex [27].”

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References 47 · Cited by 51

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [32]Lun MP Monuki ES Lehtinen MK. Development and functions of the choroid plexus-cerebrospinal fluid system Nat Rev Neurosci 16 2015 445 457 26174708 PMC4629451

Authors
Gomes, I. C., Karmirian, K., Oliveira, J., Pedrosa, C., Rosman, F. C., Chimelli, L., & Rehen, S.
Affiliations
  • Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (BR)
  • D’Or Institute for Research and Education (BR)
Corresponding author
Rehen, Stevens
Venue
The Lancet Regional Health - Americas
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2020-09-13
Volume
2
Pages
100046-100046
ISSN
2667-193X (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3198225422
Cited by
51
References
47
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 1
FWCI
4.65
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Lancet Regional Health - Americas (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Preprints.org (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Instituto D'Or de Pesquisa e Ensino
  • Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
  • Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
  • Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
Keywords
SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 pandemic, pediatric COVID-19, central nervous system infection, choroid plexus, viral neurotropism, blood-CSF barrier, brain histopathology, neuronal loss, cortical atrophy, viral pneumonia, autopsy findings

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