Case-report of a Neonate with COVID-19 Infection: How he Has been Infected?

Abstract

Background: It has been indicated that pregnant women and neonates are susceptible to COVID-19 infection. Nevertheless, the unresolved question is about the possibility of COVID-19 infection in neonates born to COVID-19 mothers. The present study aimed to assess the routes through which neonates may be infected with the virus: vertically or nosocomially. Case report: This study reports the case of a neonate with COVID-19 infection who became symptomatic 30 h after birth. His pharyngeal swab specimen was reported as positive by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). It happened while the newborn's mother was tested for the COVID-19 twice, and she received negative results both times. Conclusion: According to the incubation period of COVID-19 which is at least 1 day, the possibility of nosocomial transmission is less than other cases reported so far. Moreover, the mother had no COVID-19 symptoms during the last month of delivery. Further clinical research is necessary to determine the routes of maternal transmission of COVID-19 to neonates.