1. COVID-19 autopsy cases: detection of virus in endocrine tissues.
- Author
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Poma AM, Bonuccelli D, Giannini R, Macerola E, Vignali P, Ugolini C, Torregrossa L, Proietti A, Pistello M, Basolo A, Santini F, Toniolo A, and Basolo F
- Subjects
- Abdominal Fat virology, Adult, Autopsy, COVID-19 epidemiology, Comorbidity, Female, Humans, Lung virology, Male, Middle Aged, RNA, Viral analysis, SARS-CoV-2 genetics, Subcutaneous Fat virology, Testis virology, Thyroid Gland virology, COVID-19 virology, Endocrine Glands virology, SARS-CoV-2 isolation & purification
- Abstract
Purpose: The SARS-CoV-2 genome has been detected in a variety of human samples including blood, urine, semen, and faeces. However, evidence of virus presence in tissues other than lung are limited., Methods: We investigated whether SARS-CoV-2 could be detected in 50 autoptic specimens of endocrine organs from 29 patients who died of COVID-19., Results: The virus was detected in 25 specimens including ten abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue samples (62%), six testes (67%), and nine thyroid (36%) samples. The analysis of multiple endocrine organ samples obtained from the same patients showed that, in virus-positive cases, the viral genome was consistently detected in all but two matched specimens., Conclusion: Our findings show that the virus spread into endocrine organs is a common event in severe cases. Further studies should assess the rate of the phenomenon in clinically mild cases. The potential long-term effects of COVID-19 on endocrine functions should be taken into consideration., (© 2021. Italian Society of Endocrinology (SIE).)
- Published
- 2022
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