Transplacental Transfer of Influenza Virus

Abstract

Transplacental passage of virus occurred in a fatal case of influenza during the last trimester of pregnancy. The influenza virus (A2/Hong Kong/8/68) was identified in numerous extrapulmonary maternal tissues, amniotic fluid, and fetal heart. The maternal extrapulmonary tissues, fetal tissues, and placenta were free of any morphological abnormality which could be attributed to virus infection.