Elad Barber1,2, Michal Kovo1,2, Sophia Leytes1,2, Ron Sagiv1,2, Eran Weiner1,2, Orna Schwartz2,3, Margarita Mashavi2,4, Keren Holtzman2,5, Jacob Bar1,2, Anat Engel2,5, Shimon Ginath1,2. 1. Wolfson Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, E. Holon 5822012, Israel. 2. Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel. 3. Wolfson Medical Center, Microbiology Laboratory, E. Holon 5822012, Israel. 4. Wolfson Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine "D," E. Holon 5822012, Israel. 5. Wolfson Medical Center, Department of Medical Administration, E. Holon 5822012, Israel.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the likelihood of vaginal colonization with Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in pregnant and non-pregnant women with Coronavrus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Vaginal swabs were taken from women diagnosed with mild to moderately acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, at Wolfson Medical Center, Israel, from March 2020 through October 2020. COVID-19 was diagnosed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) performed on nasopharyngeal swabs. Vaginal swabs were tested for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: In total, 51 women diagnosed with COVID-19 were included in the study. Of the 51 women with COVID-19 enrolled in this study, 16 (31.4%) were pregnant at enrollment and 35 (68.6%) were non-pregnant. Mean age was 43.5 ± 15.3 years (range 21-74 years). Compared to the non-pregnant group, the pregnant group was characterized by a higher white blood cell and absolute neutrophil count (p = 0.02 and p = 0.027, respectively). The non-pregnant patients were more likely to have chronic diseases (p = 0.035) and to be hospitalized (p < 0.001). Only one patient (1.9%) aged 60 years tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in vaginal secretions. Mean gestational age at the diagnosis of COVID-19 of the pregnant group was 32.3 ± 7.8 weeks. Thirteen patients delivered during the study period; all delivered at term without obstetric complications and all neonates were healthy. CONCLUSIONS: Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the vaginal secretions of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 is rare. Vaginal colonization may occur during the viremia phase of the disease, although infectivity from vaginal colonization needs to be proven.
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the likelihood of vaginal colonization with Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in pregnant and non-pregnant women with Coronavrus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Vaginal swabs were taken from women diagnosed with mild to moderately acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, at Wolfson Medical Center, Israel, from March 2020 through October 2020. COVID-19 was diagnosed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) performed on nasopharyngeal swabs. Vaginal swabs were tested for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: In total, 51 women diagnosed with COVID-19 were included in the study. Of the 51 women with COVID-19 enrolled in this study, 16 (31.4%) were pregnant at enrollment and 35 (68.6%) were non-pregnant. Mean age was 43.5 ± 15.3 years (range 21-74 years). Compared to the non-pregnant group, the pregnant group was characterized by a higher white blood cell and absolute neutrophil count (p = 0.02 and p = 0.027, respectively). The non-pregnant patients were more likely to have chronic diseases (p = 0.035) and to be hospitalized (p < 0.001). Only one patient (1.9%) aged 60 years tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in vaginal secretions. Mean gestational age at the diagnosis of COVID-19 of the pregnant group was 32.3 ± 7.8 weeks. Thirteen patients delivered during the study period; all delivered at term without obstetric complications and all neonates were healthy. CONCLUSIONS: Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the vaginal secretions of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 is rare. Vaginal colonization may occur during the viremia phase of the disease, although infectivity from vaginal colonization needs to be proven.
Authors: Patricia E Lee; Robert Kozak; Nasrin Alavi; Hamza Mbareche; Rose C Kung; Kellie E Murphy; Darian Perruzza; Stephanie Jarvi; Elsa Salvant; Noor Niyar N Ladhani; Albert J M Yee; Louise-Helene Gagnon; Richard Jenkinson; Grace Y Liu Journal: CMAJ Open Date: 2022-05-24