Pregnant women are a vulnerable group for developing severe disease in response to respiratory viral infections, such as influenza and SARS-COV-2, which includes an increased risk of developing acute respiratory distress syndrome. Although pregnancy is considered an immunosuppressive state to prevent rejection of the semi-allogeneic fetus, infections with influenza and SARS-COV-2 are associated with exacerbated systemic inflammation and maternal cardiovascular complications. Furthermore, although respiratory viruses do not cross the placenta and directly infect the fetus in utero, viral infection during pregnancy is associated with long-term fetal consequences with studies demonstrating perturbed neurodevelopment in adult offspring. There is currently a profound knowledge gap in our understanding of maternal immunity during pregnancy and the delicate balance of immune activation to clear the infection whilst minimising collateral compromises to the fetus.
The aim of this research topic is to understand the immunological and cardiovascular mechanisms of respiratory viral infection in pregnancy beyond the primary site of infection (the lungs) on maternal health during pregnancy, and how that affects immune cell characteristics in peripheral sites during and after pregnancy. We also wish to investigate the long-term consequences in shaping immune cell phenotypes during development as well as immunity to subsequent infections later in life in the offspring when exposed to viral infections in utero, and to identify the potential perturbation on the neurological function in the offspring associated with respiratory viral infections during pregnancy.
This Research Topic welcomes Original Research, Review, and Mini-Review articles, offering new insights within the maternal immune response to respiratory viral infections during pregnancy perspective. We welcome manuscripts focusing on, but not limited to, the following sub-topics:
• Maternal immune response to respiratory viral infections during pregnancy;
• Fetoplacental immune response to respiratory viral infections during pregnancy;
• The perturbation and consequence on the neurodevelopment following the gestational viral infection;
• Long term consequences to the function of maternal immunity/autoimmunity following respiratory viral infection during pregnancy;
• Potential respiratory complications and pathological mechanisms in the offspring later in life following gestational respiratory viral infection;
• Strengths and weaknesses of pre-clinical animal models to examine pathophysiology;
• Respiratory virus infection as triggers of pre-eclampsia and other hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.
Topic Editor Dr. Bahaa Abu-Raya received financial support in the form of honoraria from Sanofi Pasteur. The other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic subject.
Pregnant women are a vulnerable group for developing severe disease in response to respiratory viral infections, such as influenza and SARS-COV-2, which includes an increased risk of developing acute respiratory distress syndrome. Although pregnancy is considered an immunosuppressive state to prevent rejection of the semi-allogeneic fetus, infections with influenza and SARS-COV-2 are associated with exacerbated systemic inflammation and maternal cardiovascular complications. Furthermore, although respiratory viruses do not cross the placenta and directly infect the fetus in utero, viral infection during pregnancy is associated with long-term fetal consequences with studies demonstrating perturbed neurodevelopment in adult offspring. There is currently a profound knowledge gap in our understanding of maternal immunity during pregnancy and the delicate balance of immune activation to clear the infection whilst minimising collateral compromises to the fetus.
The aim of this research topic is to understand the immunological and cardiovascular mechanisms of respiratory viral infection in pregnancy beyond the primary site of infection (the lungs) on maternal health during pregnancy, and how that affects immune cell characteristics in peripheral sites during and after pregnancy. We also wish to investigate the long-term consequences in shaping immune cell phenotypes during development as well as immunity to subsequent infections later in life in the offspring when exposed to viral infections in utero, and to identify the potential perturbation on the neurological function in the offspring associated with respiratory viral infections during pregnancy.
This Research Topic welcomes Original Research, Review, and Mini-Review articles, offering new insights within the maternal immune response to respiratory viral infections during pregnancy perspective. We welcome manuscripts focusing on, but not limited to, the following sub-topics:
• Maternal immune response to respiratory viral infections during pregnancy;
• Fetoplacental immune response to respiratory viral infections during pregnancy;
• The perturbation and consequence on the neurodevelopment following the gestational viral infection;
• Long term consequences to the function of maternal immunity/autoimmunity following respiratory viral infection during pregnancy;
• Potential respiratory complications and pathological mechanisms in the offspring later in life following gestational respiratory viral infection;
• Strengths and weaknesses of pre-clinical animal models to examine pathophysiology;
• Respiratory virus infection as triggers of pre-eclampsia and other hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.
Topic Editor Dr. Bahaa Abu-Raya received financial support in the form of honoraria from Sanofi Pasteur. The other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic subject.