Researchers have shown that a common cold virus can infect cells derived from human placentas, suggesting that it may be possible for the infection to pass from expectant mothers to their unborn children.
The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, was led by Dr. Giovanni Piedimonte, professor of pediatrics and vice president of research at Tulane University.
“This is the first evidence that a common cold virus can infect the human placenta,” Piedimonte said. “It supports our theory that when a woman develops a cold during pregnancy, the virus causing the maternal infection can spread to the fetus and cause a pulmonary infection even before birth.”
During pregnancy, the placenta acts as a gatekeeper to provide essential nourishment from a mother to a developing fetus while filtering out potential pathogens. Scientists are discovering that the barrier isn’t as impenetrable as once believed with recent studies showing how viruses such as Zika can slip through its defenses.
Read more at Tulane University
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