PATHOMORPHOLOGICAL AND HISTOLOGICAL CHANGES IN THE IMMUNE ORGANS OF NEWBORNS BORN TO MOTHERS WITH COVID-19 DURING PREGNANCY
Keywords:
SARS-CoV-2, neonatal immunity, thymic involution, lymphoid hypoplasia, histopathology, cytokine-mediated inflammationAbstract
This study explores pathomorphological and histological alterations in the immune organs of neonates following antenatal exposure to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection. Particular attention is given to structural changes in primary and secondary lymphoid organs, including the thymus, spleen, and peripheral lymph nodes, which play a critical role in early immune competence. The findings suggest that the observed immune remodeling is predominantly driven by indirect mechanisms, namely maternal systemic inflammation and immune activation, rather than by direct transplacental viral transmission. Characteristic pathological features include accidental thymic involution, hypoplasia of the splenic white pulp, and attenuation of germinal center formation within lymph nodes. Collectively, these alterations reflect a state of functional immunological vulnerability in affected neonates, underscoring the need for individualized postnatal immunological monitoring and follow-up strategies.
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