Potential mechanisms of intrauterine transmission of monkeypox virus

Summary: Infections during pregnancy pose a significant threat to maternal and fetal health, with the placenta having robust mechanisms to defend against microbial transmission. However, pathogens causing congenital disease may have evolved diverse mechanisms to bypass these defences. This review discusses how TORCH pathogens breach the maternal-fetal interface and cause disease.

Summary: Cowpox virus infection resulted in fetal death of a pregnant woman, with investigation showing no prevalence of CPXV among the patient's domestic animals. The patient's diagnosis was confirmed by identifying CPXV DNA in biopsy samples, indicating the risk for infection complications during pregnancy.