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Modeling Ascending Vaginal Infection, Preterm Birth, and Neonatal Morbidity in Mice
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Microbial Vertical Transmission during Human Pregnancy.

Nitin Arora1, Yoel Sadovsky2, Terence S Dermody3

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA; Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA.

Cell Host & Microbe
|May 12, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Congenital infections pose significant risks to developing fetuses. This review explores how pathogens cross the placental barrier, impacting fetal health and pregnancy outcomes.

Keywords:
CytomegalovirusListeria monocytogenesToxoplasma gondiiZika virusplacentatrophoblastvertical transmission

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Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Congenital infections from various pathogens cause significant global fetal morbidity and mortality.
  • The mechanisms by which these pathogens cross the placental barrier remain poorly understood.
  • Understanding vertical transmission is crucial for preventing adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the structure and innate defense mechanisms of the human placenta.
  • To elucidate the pathways utilized by pathogens to breach the placental barrier.
  • To discuss future research prospects in preventing congenital infections.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on placental biology and pathogen transmission.
  • Analysis of known host-pathogen interactions at the maternal-fetal interface.
  • Synthesis of current knowledge on placental defense mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • The placenta possesses innate mechanisms to restrict microbial entry into the intrauterine compartment.
  • Various pathogens employ distinct strategies to overcome these placental defenses.
  • Specific examples of pathogen transmission routes are discussed.

Conclusions:

  • Pathogen transmission across the placenta is a complex process involving pathogen adaptation and placental vulnerability.
  • Further research into placental immunity and pathogen invasion pathways is essential.
  • Developing strategies to block pathogen transplacental transmission can improve fetal health outcomes.