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Molinengo L, Estrin-Serlui T, Hanley B, Osborn M, Goldin R. Infectious diseases and the role of needle biopsy post-mortem. THE LANCET. MICROBE 2024; 5:707-716. [PMID: 38604206 DOI: 10.1016/s2666-5247(24)00044-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Post-mortem examinations continue to play a crucial role in understanding the epidemiology and pathogenesis of infectious diseases. However, the perceived infection risk can preclude traditional, invasive, complete diagnostic autopsy. Post-mortem examination is especially important in emerging infectious diseases with potentially unknown infection risks, but rapid acquisition of good quality tissue samples is needed as part of the scientific and public health response. Needle biopsy post-mortem is a minimally invasive, rapid, closed-body autopsy technique that was originally developed to minimise the infection risk to practitioners. Since its inception, needle biopsy post-mortem has also been used as a technique to support complete diagnostic autopsy provision in poorly resourced regions and to facilitate post-mortem examinations in communities that might have religious or cultural objections to an invasive autopsy. This Review analyses the evolution and applicability of needle biopsy post-mortem in investigating endemic and emerging infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Molinengo
- Cellular Pathology Department, Northwest London Pathology hosted by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK.
| | - Theodore Estrin-Serlui
- Cellular Pathology Department, Northwest London Pathology hosted by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK
| | - Brian Hanley
- Cellular Pathology Department, Northwest London Pathology hosted by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK; Cancer Dynamics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK; Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Michael Osborn
- Cellular Pathology Department, Northwest London Pathology hosted by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK
| | - Robert Goldin
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College, London, UK
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Torres-Fernandez D, Dalsuco J, Bramugy J, Bassat Q, Varo R. Innovative strategies for the surveillance, prevention, and management of pediatric infections applied to low-income settings. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2024; 22:413-422. [PMID: 38739471 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2024.2354839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Infectious diseases still cause a significant burden of morbidity and mortality among children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). There are ample opportunities for innovation in surveillance, prevention, and management, with the ultimate goal of improving survival. AREAS COVERED This review discusses the current status in the use and development of innovative strategies for pediatric infectious diseases in LMICs by focusing on surveillance, diagnosis, prevention, and management. Topics covered are: Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling as a technique to accurately ascertain the cause of death; Genetic Surveillance to trace the pathogen genomic diversity and emergence of resistance; Artificial Intelligence as a multidisciplinary tool; Portable noninvasive imaging methods; and Prognostic Biomarkers to triage and risk stratify pediatric patients. EXPERT OPINION To overcome the specific hurdles in child health for LMICs, some innovative strategies appear at the forefront of research. If the development of these next-generation tools remains focused on accessibility, sustainability and capacity building, reshaping epidemiological surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment in LMICs, can become a reality and result in a significant public health impact. Their integration with existing healthcare infrastructures may revolutionize disease detection and surveillance, and improve child health and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Torres-Fernandez
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Jessica Dalsuco
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Justina Bramugy
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Quique Bassat
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
- ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys, Barcelona, Spain
- Pediatrics Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosauro Varo
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
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de Almeida LM, de Melo DN, da Silva MM, de Souza PMM, Silva FKDS, Coelho TMS, de Lima STS, Mota AGDM, Monteiro RADA, Saldiva PHN, Oliveira GGDS, Cavalcanti LPDG. Usefulness of minimally invasive autopsy in the diagnosis of arboviruses to increase the sensitivity of the Epidemiological Surveillance System in Ceará, Brazil. EPIDEMIOLOGIA E SERVIÇOS DE SAÚDE 2024; 33:e2024008. [PMID: 38808901 PMCID: PMC11131572 DOI: 10.1590/s2237-96222024v33e2024008.en] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To create a protocol for performing minimally invasive autopsies (MIA) in detecting deaths from arboviruses and report preliminary data from its application in Ceará state, Brazil. METHODS Training was provided to medical pathologists on MIA. RESULTS A protocol was established for performing MIA, defining criteria for sample collection, storage methods, and diagnoses to be carried out according to the type of biological sample; 43 MIAs were performed in three months. Of these, 21 (48.8%) arrived at the Death Verification Service (SVO) with arboviruses as a diagnostic hypothesis, and seven (16.3%) were confirmed (six chikungunya cases and one dengue case); cases of COVID-19 (n = 9), tuberculosis (n = 5), meningitis (n = 4), cryptococcosis (n = 1), Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (n = 1), breast cancer (n = 1), and human rabies (n = 1) were also confirmed. CONCLUSION The protocol implemented enabled identification of a larger number of suspected arbovirus-related deaths, as well as confirmation of other diseases of interest for surveillance. MAIN RESULTS A protocol was developed to perform minimally invasive autopsies (MIAs) in Death Verification Services (SVO), capable of expanding the system's capacity to identify a greater number of deaths suspected to be due to arboviruses. IMPLICATIONS FOR SERVICES The experience suggests that in-service trained health professionals are able to perform MIA, and that use of this technique in SVOs has been shown to be capable of increasing the system's sensitivity in detecting deaths of interest to public health. PERSPECTIVES Trained professionals will be able to collect biological material in hospitals, through MIA, in cases of interest for health surveillance and when family members do not allow a complete conventional autopsy to be performed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Deborah Nunes de Melo
- Universidade Federal do Ceará, Programa de Pós-Graduação em
Patologia, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | | | - Pedro Mansueto Melo de Souza
- Secretaria da Saúde do Estado do Ceará, Serviço de Verificação de
Óbito Dr. Rocha Furtado, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Anacelia Gomes de Matos Mota
- Secretaria da Saúde do Estado do Ceará, Serviço de Verificação de
Óbito Dr. Rocha Furtado, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
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Campos MAG, Cutrim ÉAM, Cutrim ÉMM, de Oliveira JVP, de Oliveira EJSG, Pontes DDB, de Figueiredo JA, Silva GEB. Accuracy of the Verbal Autopsy questionnaire in the diagnosis of COVID-19 deaths in a Brazilian capital. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 2024; 66:e33. [PMID: 38747854 PMCID: PMC11095245 DOI: 10.1590/s1678-9946202466033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The Verbal Autopsy (VA) is a questionnaire about the circumstances surrounding a death. It was widely used in Brazil to assist in postmortem diagnoses and investigate excess mortality during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to determine the accuracy of investigating acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) using VA. This is a cross-sectional study with prospective data collected from January 2020 to August 2021 at the Death Verification Service of Sao Luis city, Brazil. VA was performed for suspected COVID-19 deaths, and one day of the week was randomly chosen to collect samples from patients without suspected COVID-19. Two swabs were collected after death and subjected to reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Of the 250 cases included, the VA questionnaire identified COVID-19-related ARDS in 67.2% (52.98% were positive for COVID-19). The sensitivity of the VA questionnaire was 0.53 (0.45-0.61), the specificity was 0.75 (0.64-0.84), the positive predictive value was 0.81 (0.72-0.88), and the negative predictive value was 0.44 (0.36-0.53). The VA had a lower-than-expected accuracy for detecting COVID-19 deaths; however, because it is an easily accessible and cost-effective tool, it can be combined with more accurate methods to improve its performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Adriano Garcia Campos
- Universidade Estadual Paulista, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, Hospital das Clínicas, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Érico Murilo Monteiro Cutrim
- Universidade Estadual Paulista, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, Hospital das Clínicas, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Gyl Eanes Barros Silva
- Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Faculdade de Medicina, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Patologia e Medicina Legal, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
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Lahmer T, Weirich G, Porubsky S, Rasch S, Kammerstetter FA, Schustetter C, Schüffler P, Erber J, Dibos M, Delbridge C, Kuhn PH, Jeske S, Steinhardt M, Chaker A, Heim M, Heemann U, Schmid RM, Weichert W, Stock KF, Slotta-Huspenina J. Postmortem Minimally Invasive Autopsy in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients at the Bedside: A Proof-of-Concept Study at the ICU. Diagnostics (Basel) 2024; 14:294. [PMID: 38337812 PMCID: PMC10854968 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14030294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Economic restrictions and workforce cuts have continually challenged conventional autopsies. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has added tissue quality and safety requirements to the investigation of this disease, thereby launching efforts to upgrade autopsy strategies. METHODS In this proof-of-concept study, we performed bedside ultrasound-guided minimally invasive autopsy (US-MIA) in the ICU of critically ill COVID-19 patients using a structured protocol to obtain non-autolyzed tissue. Biopsies were assessed for their quality (vitality) and length of biopsy (mm) and for diagnosis. The efficiency of the procedure was monitored in five cases by recording the time of each step and safety issues by swabbing personal protective equipment and devices for viral contamination. FINDINGS Ultrasound examination and tissue procurement required a mean time period of 13 min and 54 min, respectively. A total of 318 multiorgan biopsies were obtained from five patients. Quality and vitality standards were fulfilled, which not only allowed for specific histopathological diagnosis but also the reliable detection of SARS-CoV-2 virions in unexpected organs using electronic microscopy and RNA-expressing techniques. INTERPRETATION Bedside multidisciplinary US-MIA allows for the fast and efficient acquisition of autolytic-free tissue and offers unappreciated potential to overcome the limitations of research in postmortem studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Lahmer
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany; (S.R.); (J.E.); (M.D.); (R.M.S.)
| | - Gregor Weirich
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany; (G.W.); (F.A.K.); (C.S.); (P.S.); (C.D.); (P.H.K.); (W.W.); (J.S.-H.)
| | - Stefan Porubsky
- Institut für Pathologie, Universitätsklinikum Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany;
| | - Sebastian Rasch
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany; (S.R.); (J.E.); (M.D.); (R.M.S.)
| | - Florian A. Kammerstetter
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany; (G.W.); (F.A.K.); (C.S.); (P.S.); (C.D.); (P.H.K.); (W.W.); (J.S.-H.)
| | - Christian Schustetter
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany; (G.W.); (F.A.K.); (C.S.); (P.S.); (C.D.); (P.H.K.); (W.W.); (J.S.-H.)
| | - Peter Schüffler
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany; (G.W.); (F.A.K.); (C.S.); (P.S.); (C.D.); (P.H.K.); (W.W.); (J.S.-H.)
| | - Johanna Erber
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany; (S.R.); (J.E.); (M.D.); (R.M.S.)
| | - Miriam Dibos
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany; (S.R.); (J.E.); (M.D.); (R.M.S.)
| | - Claire Delbridge
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany; (G.W.); (F.A.K.); (C.S.); (P.S.); (C.D.); (P.H.K.); (W.W.); (J.S.-H.)
| | - Peer Hendrik Kuhn
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany; (G.W.); (F.A.K.); (C.S.); (P.S.); (C.D.); (P.H.K.); (W.W.); (J.S.-H.)
| | - Samuel Jeske
- Institute of Virology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich/Helmholtz Zentrum München, Trogerstraße 30, 81675 Munich, Germany;
| | - Manuel Steinhardt
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany;
| | - Adam Chaker
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany;
| | - Markus Heim
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Medicine, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany;
| | - Uwe Heemann
- Department of Nephrology, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany; (U.H.); (K.F.S.)
| | - Roland M. Schmid
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany; (S.R.); (J.E.); (M.D.); (R.M.S.)
| | - Wilko Weichert
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany; (G.W.); (F.A.K.); (C.S.); (P.S.); (C.D.); (P.H.K.); (W.W.); (J.S.-H.)
| | - Konrad Friedrich Stock
- Department of Nephrology, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany; (U.H.); (K.F.S.)
| | - Julia Slotta-Huspenina
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany; (G.W.); (F.A.K.); (C.S.); (P.S.); (C.D.); (P.H.K.); (W.W.); (J.S.-H.)
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Subedi N, Bhattarai S, Ranabhat S, Sharma BK, Baral MP. Determination of causes of adult deaths using minimally invasive tissue sampling in Gandaki province of Nepal: a multicenter hospital-based study. Eur J Med Res 2023; 28:407. [PMID: 37805504 PMCID: PMC10559450 DOI: 10.1186/s40001-023-01392-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling (MITS) has been successfully used to establish the cause of death in low- and middle-income countries, mostly in stillbirths and neonates. The objective of this study was to determine the causes of death among adults using MITS in the Gandaki province of Nepal and to find out the contribution of MITS to identify the causes of death. METHODS A multicentric hospital-based pilot study was conducted to enroll 100 cases of adult deaths. The specimens of cerebrospinal fluid, blood, brain, lungs, and liver tissue were collected utilizing MITS. These specimens underwent standard histopathological, serological, and microbiological analyses. The findings from MITS, and if available, clinical records and forensic autopsy findings were compiled and the cause of death panel identified the causes of death. The final cause of death allocated to each case was based on the WHO International Medical Certificate of Death. RESULTS Among a total of 100 cases enrolled during the study period, infectious cause attributed to the immediate cause of death in 77 (77%), cardiovascular in 10 (10%), neurological in 8 (8%), malignancy in two (2%), and gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary cause in one (1%) case. The mean age of the cases was 50.8 ± 15.9 years and 76 (76%) were males. MITS established the cause of death in the causal chain of events in 81(81%) cases and identified the cause of death significantly more with infectious than non-infectious causes (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS MITS was useful in establishing the cause of death in the majority of adult deaths and the most common cause was infectious disease. Our findings suggest that MITS can be a valuable and alternative tool for mortality surveillance in low-resource settings, where complete diagnostic autopsies are less accepted or less prioritized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuwadatta Subedi
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Gandaki Medical College Teaching Hospital and Research Center, Gandaki, Pokhara, Nepal.
- DECODE MAUN Research Project, Gandaki Medical College Teaching Hospital and Research Center, Pokhara, Nepal.
| | - Suraj Bhattarai
- DECODE MAUN Research Project, Gandaki Medical College Teaching Hospital and Research Center, Pokhara, Nepal
- Global Health Research & Medical Interventions for Development (GLOHMED), Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Sunita Ranabhat
- DECODE MAUN Research Project, Gandaki Medical College Teaching Hospital and Research Center, Pokhara, Nepal
- Department of Pathology, Gandaki Medical College Teaching Hospital and Research Center, Pokhara, Nepal
| | - Binita Koirala Sharma
- DECODE MAUN Research Project, Gandaki Medical College Teaching Hospital and Research Center, Pokhara, Nepal
- Department of Microbiology, Tribhuvan University Prithvi Narayan Campus, Pokhara, Nepal
| | - Madan Prasad Baral
- DECODE MAUN Research Project, Gandaki Medical College Teaching Hospital and Research Center, Pokhara, Nepal
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences, Western Regional Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal
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Das S, Roy A, Das R. New autopsy technique in COVID-19 positive dead bodies: opening the thoracic cavity with an outlook to reduce aerosol spread. J Clin Pathol 2023; 76:664-670. [PMID: 35701143 PMCID: PMC9240445 DOI: 10.1136/jclinpath-2022-208173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
AIMS After the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, most countries have modified some of their health-related regulations. However, this has not been in the case of the postmortem of deceased because it has a legal aspect. Thus, the healthcare providers knowingly or unknowingly faced the threat of COVID-19 exposure from those dead bodies. To introduce an autopsy technique that reduces the droplet spreads, especially in those mortuaries where the biosafety mechanism is not highly equipped. METHODS The validity of the new incision was achieved through the calculation of the Scale Content Validity Index (SCVI) taking inputs from 17 forensic specialists. The subjects for the new technique were selected from the patients who were RTPCR positive for COVID-19 or clinically or radiologically showing features of COVID-19. RESULTS The dissection procedure was finalised by achieving the SCVI at 0.92. The chest cavity was approached through the abdominal cavity by opening the diaphragm and dissecting out the contents of the chest using a long blade knife. CONCLUSIONS The advantage of this approach is that the autopsy surgeon and pathologists do not have to open the chest cavity by dissecting the Sternum, and hence the chance of droplet infection becomes almost nil. This technique is complete, simple, less time-consuming and conducive for sample collection, and even reduces the possibility of body fluid seepage following a postmortem examination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somnath Das
- Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, RG Kar Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Anshuman Roy
- Anatomy, Raiganj Government Medical College, Raiganj, West Bengal, India
| | - Rina Das
- Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, NRS Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
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Hirata Y, Makino Y, Iida S, Katano H, Nagasawa S, Rokutan H, Hinata M, Iwasaki A, Yasunaga Y, Abe H, Ikemura M, Motomura A, Kira K, Kobayashi S, Tsuneya S, Torimitsu S, Yamamoto I, Nakagawa K, Hasegawa I, Akitomi S, Yajima D, Ushiku T, Saitoh H, Suzuki T, Iwase H. COVID-19 Analysis in Tissue Samples Acquired by Minimally Invasive Autopsy in Out-of-Hospital Deaths with Postmortem Degeneration. Jpn J Infect Dis 2023; 76:302-309. [PMID: 37394459 DOI: 10.7883/yoken.jjid.2023.140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Minimally invasive autopsy (MIA) is an alternative to a full autopsy for the collection of tissue samples from patients' bodies using instruments such as a biopsy needle. MIA has been conducted in many cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and has contributed to the elucidation of the disease pathogenesis. However, most cases analyzed are hospital deaths, and there are few reports on the application of MIA in out-of-hospital deaths with varying extents of post-mortem changes. In this study, MIA and autopsies were performed in 15 patients with COVID-19 2-30 days after death, including 11 out-of-hospital deaths. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genome detection by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction using MIA samples was mostly consistent with autopsy samples, particularly lung tissue, even in out-of-hospital cases. MIA had high sensitivity and specificity (> 0.80). Histological examination of lung tissue obtained by MIA showed characteristics of COVID-19 pneumonia, with 91% agreement with autopsy samples, whereas localization of SARS-CoV-2 protein in lung tissue was indicated by immunohistochemistry, with 75% agreement. In conclusion, these results suggest that MIA is applicable to out-of-hospital deaths due to COVID-19 with various postmortem changes, especially when autopsies are not available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuichiro Hirata
- Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Japan
| | - Yohsuke Makino
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Japan
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shun Iida
- Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan
| | - Harutaka Katano
- Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan
| | - Sayaka Nagasawa
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Rokutan
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Munetoshi Hinata
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akiko Iwasaki
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoichi Yasunaga
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Abe
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masako Ikemura
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ayumi Motomura
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Japan
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Forensic Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare, Japan
| | - Kei Kira
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Susumu Kobayashi
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shigeki Tsuneya
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Japan
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Suguru Torimitsu
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Japan
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Isao Yamamoto
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Kanagawa Dental University, Japan
| | - Kimiko Nakagawa
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Kanagawa Dental University, Japan
| | - Iwao Hasegawa
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Kanagawa Dental University, Japan
| | - Shinji Akitomi
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
- Japan Medical Association Research Institute, Japan
| | - Daisuke Yajima
- Department of Forensic Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Ushiku
- Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hisako Saitoh
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Japan
- Department of Forensic Dentistry, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan
| | - Tadaki Suzuki
- Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan
| | - Hirotaro Iwase
- Department of Legal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Japan
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan
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Terence Azeke A, Schädler J, Ondruschka B, Steurer S, Möbius D, Fitzek A. Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling via Post Mortem Ultrasound: A Feasible Tool (Not Only) in Infectious Diseases-A Case Report. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:2643. [PMID: 37627902 PMCID: PMC10453131 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13162643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In the past years the number of hospital autopsies have declined steadily, becoming almost excluded from medical training. Medicolegal (forensic) autopsies account for almost all autopsies, whereas hospital autopsies are becoming increasingly rare. Minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS) using post mortem ultrasound offers the opportunity to increase the number of post mortem examinations in a clinical and even forensic context. MITS is a needle-based post mortem procedure that uses (radiological) imaging techniques to examine major organs of the body, acquire tissue samples and aspirate fluid from the body cavities or hollow organs. In this study, MITS was used to determine the presence of other co-existing diseases in a deceased infected 97-year-old woman with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The examination of her body was carried out using ultrasound as an imaging tool and to gather ultrasound-guided biopsies as conventional autopsy was rejected by the next of kin. Ultrasound and histology identified an intravesical mass leading to an obstruction of the urinary outlet resulting in bilateral hydronephrosis and purulent pyelonephritis, which was unknown during her lifetime. Histopathological examination revealed the tumor mass to be a squamous cell carcinoma. This study has shown that MITS can be used to determine the cause of death and the presence of concomitant diseases in the infectious deceased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akhator Terence Azeke
- Department of Anatomic Pathology, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, KM 87 Benin Auchi Rd, Irrua 310115, Nigeria
| | - Julia Schädler
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Butenfeld 34, D-22529 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Benjamin Ondruschka
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Butenfeld 34, D-22529 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Steurer
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, D-20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dustin Möbius
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Butenfeld 34, D-22529 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Antonia Fitzek
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Butenfeld 34, D-22529 Hamburg, Germany
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10
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Solomon IH, Singh A, Folkerth RD, Mukerji SS. What Can We Still Learn from Brain Autopsies in COVID-19? Semin Neurol 2023. [PMID: 37023787 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1767716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Neuropathological findings have been published from ∼900 patients who died with or from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections, representing less than 0.01% of the close to 6.4 million deaths reported to the World Health Organization 2 years into the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this review, we extend our prior work summarizing COVID-19 neuropathology by including information on published autopsies up to June 2022, and neuropathological studies in children, COVID-19 variants, secondary brain infections, ex vivo brain imaging, and autopsies performed in countries outside of the United States or Europe. We also summarize research studies that investigate mechanisms of neuropathogenesis in nonhuman primates and other models. While a pattern of cerebrovascular pathology and microglial-predominant inflammation remains the primary COVID-19-associated neuropathological finding, there is no singular understanding of the mechanisms that underlie neurological symptoms in acute COVID-19 or the post-acute COVID-19 condition. Thus, it is paramount that we incorporate microscopic and molecular findings from brain tissue into what we know about the clinical disease so that we attain best practice guidance and direct research priorities for the study of the neurological morbidity of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac H Solomon
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Arjun Singh
- Division of Neuroimmunology and Neuro-Infectious Diseases, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Healing Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Rebecca D Folkerth
- Office of Chief Medical Examiner and Department of Forensic Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Shibani S Mukerji
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Neuroimmunology and Neuro-Infectious Diseases, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts
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11
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Abdaljaleel M, Tawalbeh I, Sallam M, Hani AB, Al-Abdallat IM, Omari BA, Al-Mustafa S, Abder-Rahman H, Abbas AS, Zureigat M, Al-Abbadi MA. Postmortem lung and heart examination of COVID-19 patients in a case series from Jordan. J Pathol Transl Med 2023; 57:102-112. [PMID: 36950812 PMCID: PMC10028009 DOI: 10.4132/jptm.2023.01.30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as a pandemic for more than 2 years. Autopsy examination is an invaluable tool to understand the pathogenesis of emerging infections and their consequent mortalities. The aim of the current study was to present the lung and heart pathological findings of COVID-19-positive autopsies performed in Jordan. METHODS The study involved medicolegal cases, where the cause of death was unclear and autopsy examination was mandated by law. We included the clinical and pathologic findings of routine gross and microscopic examination of cases that were positive for COVID-19 at time of death. Testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was confirmed through molecular detection by real-time polymerase chain reaction, serologic testing for IgM and electron microscope examination of lung samples. RESULTS Seventeen autopsies were included, with male predominance (76.5%), Jordanians (70.6%), and 50 years as the mean age at time of death. Nine out of 16 cases (56.3%) had co-morbidities, with one case lacking such data. Histologic examination of lung tissue revealed diffuse alveolar damage in 13/17 cases (76.5%), and pulmonary microthrombi in 8/17 cases (47.1%). Microscopic cardiac findings were scarcely detected. Two patients died as a direct result of acute cardiac disease with limited pulmonary findings. CONCLUSIONS The detection of SARS-CoV-2 in postmortem examination can be an incidental or contributory finding which highlights the value of autopsy examination to determine the exact cause of death in controversial cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maram Abdaljaleel
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
- Department of Clinical Laboratories and Forensic Medicine, Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan
| | - Isra Tawalbeh
- Department of Forensic Pathology, Ministry of Health, Amman, Jordan
| | - Malik Sallam
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
- Department of Clinical Laboratories and Forensic Medicine, Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan
- Department of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Amjad Bani Hani
- Department of General Surgery, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
| | - Imad M Al-Abdallat
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
- Department of Clinical Laboratories and Forensic Medicine, Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan
| | - Baheth Al Omari
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
- Department of Clinical Laboratories and Forensic Medicine, Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan
| | - Sahar Al-Mustafa
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
- Department of Clinical Laboratories and Forensic Medicine, Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan
| | - Hasan Abder-Rahman
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
- Department of Clinical Laboratories and Forensic Medicine, Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan
| | - Adnan Said Abbas
- Department of Forensic Pathology, Ministry of Health, Amman, Jordan
| | - Mahmoud Zureigat
- Department of Forensic Pathology, Ministry of Health, Amman, Jordan
| | - Mousa A Al-Abbadi
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
- Department of Clinical Laboratories and Forensic Medicine, Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan
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12
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Aramini B, Masciale V, Samarelli AV, Tonelli R, Cerri S, Clini E, Stella F, Dominici M. Biological effects of COVID-19 on lung cancer: Can we drive our decisions. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1029830. [PMID: 36300087 PMCID: PMC9589049 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1029830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 is considered catastrophic because it affects multiple organs, particularly those of the respiratory tract. Although the consequences of this infection are not fully clear, it causes damage to the lungs, the cardiovascular and nervous systems, and other organs, subsequently inducing organ failure. In particular, the effects of SARS-CoV-2-induced inflammation on cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment need to be investigated. COVID-19 may alter the tumor microenvironment, promoting cancer cell proliferation and dormant cancer cell (DCC) reawakening. DCCs reawakened upon infection with SARS-CoV-2 can populate the premetastatic niche in the lungs and other organs, leading to tumor dissemination. DCC reawakening and consequent neutrophil and monocyte/macrophage activation with an uncontrolled cascade of pro-inflammatory cytokines are the most severe clinical effects of COVID-19. Moreover, neutrophil extracellular traps have been demonstrated to activate the dissemination of premetastatic cells into the lungs. Further studies are warranted to better define the roles of COVID-19 in inflammation as well as in tumor development and tumor cell metastasis; the results of these studies will aid in the development of further targeted therapies, both for cancer prevention and the treatment of patients with COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Aramini
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine—DIMES of the Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, G.B. Morgagni—L. Pierantoni Hospital, Forlì, Italy
- *Correspondence: Beatrice Aramini,
| | - Valentina Masciale
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Laboratory of Cell Therapy, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Hospital of Modena, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Anna Valeria Samarelli
- Laboratory of Cell Therapy, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Hospital of Modena, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Respiratory Disease Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Hospital of Modena, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Roberto Tonelli
- Respiratory Disease Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Hospital of Modena, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Stefania Cerri
- Respiratory Disease Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Hospital of Modena, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Enrico Clini
- Respiratory Disease Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Hospital of Modena, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Franco Stella
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine—DIMES of the Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, G.B. Morgagni—L. Pierantoni Hospital, Forlì, Italy
| | - Massimo Dominici
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Laboratory of Cell Therapy, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Hospital of Modena, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
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13
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Raviraj KG, Shobhana SS. Findings and inferences from full autopsies, minimally invasive autopsies and biopsy studies in patients who died as a result of COVID19 - A systematic review. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2022; 18:369-381. [PMID: 35817946 PMCID: PMC9273702 DOI: 10.1007/s12024-022-00494-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Many articles on COVID19 deaths have been published since the pandemic has occurred. On reviewing the articles published until June 2021, the findings were very heterogeneous. Adding to the existing knowledge, there were also some unique observations made in the pathogenesis of COVID19. This review was done to determine the findings obtained and inferences drawn from various studies published globally among patients who died due to COVID19. PRISMA guidelines were used to conduct this systematic review. A search of databases like PubMed, ScienceDirect and Epistemonikos was done. The articles focusing on postmortem sample studies involving full autopsies, minimally invasive autopsies and tissue biopsy studies were screened and searched. The studies included were all the case reports, case series, narrative reviews and systematic reviews obtained in full text and in the English language containing study information, and samples obtained postmortem. The information obtained was tabulated using Microsoft excel sheets. The duplicates were removed at the beginning of the tabulation. Zotero referencing software was used for article sorting and citation and bibliography. Two authors independently reviewed the articles throughout the process to prevent bias. Adding to the heterogeneity of COVID19, the concept of lethality in preexisting disease conditions, the occurrence of secondary bacterial and fungal infections, and other pathogenetic mechanisms uniquely encountered are to be considered in treating the patients. Also, the presence of SARS-CoV-2 postmortem is established and should be considered a hazard.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. G. Raviraj
- Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, East Point College of Medical Sciences and Research Center, Jnanaprabha Campus, Bidarahalli, Virgo Nagar Post, Bangalore, 560049 Karnataka India
| | - S. S. Shobhana
- Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, St. Peter’s Medical College, Hospital and Research Institute, NH 44, Hosur, Tamil Nadu 635109 India
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14
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Melo DN, Lima GRP, Fernandes CG, Teixeira AC, Filho JB, Araújo FMC, Araújo LC, Siqueira AM, Farias LABG, Monteiro RAA, Ordi J, Martinez MJ, Saldiva PHN, Cavalcanti LPG. Post-Mortem Diagnosis of Pediatric Dengue Using Minimally Invasive Autopsy during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil. Trop Med Infect Dis 2022; 7:tropicalmed7070123. [PMID: 35878135 PMCID: PMC9316822 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed7070123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
We report the first pediatric disease in which the use of minimally invasive autopsy (MIA) confirmed severe dengue as the cause of death. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a previously healthy 10-year-old girl living in north-eastern Brazil presented fever, headache, diffuse abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and vomiting. On the fourth day, the clinical symptoms worsened and the patient died. An MIA was performed, and cores of brain, lungs, heart, liver, kidneys, and spleen were collected with 14G biopsy needles. Microscopic examination showed diffuse oedema and congestion, pulmonary intra-alveolar haemorrhage, small foci of midzonal necrosis in the liver, and tubular cell necrosis in the kidneys. Dengue virus RNA and NS1 antigen were detected in blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples. Clinical, pathological, and laboratory findings, in combination with the absence of other lesions and microorganisms, allowed concluding that the patient had died from complications of severe dengue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah N. Melo
- Serviço de Verificação de Óbitos Dr Rocha Furtado, Fortaleza 60842-395, Brazil; (D.N.M.); (A.C.T.); (J.B.F.)
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Patologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza 60020-181, Brazil
| | - Giovanna R. P. Lima
- Faculdade de Medicina, Centro Universitário Christus, Fortaleza 60190-180, Brazil; (G.R.P.L.); (C.G.F.)
| | - Carolina G. Fernandes
- Faculdade de Medicina, Centro Universitário Christus, Fortaleza 60190-180, Brazil; (G.R.P.L.); (C.G.F.)
| | - André C. Teixeira
- Serviço de Verificação de Óbitos Dr Rocha Furtado, Fortaleza 60842-395, Brazil; (D.N.M.); (A.C.T.); (J.B.F.)
- Faculdade de Medicina, Centro Universitário Christus, Fortaleza 60190-180, Brazil; (G.R.P.L.); (C.G.F.)
- Argos Laboratory, Fortaleza 60175-047, Brazil
| | - Joel B. Filho
- Serviço de Verificação de Óbitos Dr Rocha Furtado, Fortaleza 60842-395, Brazil; (D.N.M.); (A.C.T.); (J.B.F.)
| | | | - Lia C. Araújo
- Programa de Residencia Medica em Patologia pela Universidade Federal do Ceará, 60, Fortaleza 60020-181, Brazil;
| | | | | | - Renata A. A. Monteiro
- Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-903, Brazil; (R.A.A.M.); (P.H.N.S.)
| | - Jaume Ordi
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain;
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Miguel J. Martinez
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Paulo H. N. Saldiva
- Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-903, Brazil; (R.A.A.M.); (P.H.N.S.)
| | - Luciano P. G. Cavalcanti
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Patologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza 60020-181, Brazil
- Faculdade de Medicina, Centro Universitário Christus, Fortaleza 60190-180, Brazil; (G.R.P.L.); (C.G.F.)
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza 60020-181, Brazil
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-85-999878969
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15
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Nava-Santana C, Rodríguez-Armida M, Jiménez JV, Vargas-Parra N, León DEA, Campos-Murguia A, Macías-Rodriguez R, Arteaga-Garrido A, Hernández-Villegas AC, Dominguez-Cherit G, Rivero-Sigarroa E, Gamboa-Dominguez A, Gullias-Herrero A, Sifuentes-Osornio J, Uribe-Uribe NO, Morales-Buenrostro LE. Clinicopathologic characteristics of severe COVID-19 patients in Mexico City: A post-mortem analysis using a minimally invasive autopsy approach. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0262783. [PMID: 35239660 PMCID: PMC8893646 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Describe the histological findings of minimally ultrasound-guided invasive autopsies in deceased patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 and compare the diagnostic yield with open autopsies. DESIGN Observational post-mortem cohort study. Minimally invasive ultrasound-guided autopsies were performed in fourteen deceased patients with a confirmed diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. Histological and clinical findings of lung, kidney, and liver tissue are described and contrasted with those previously reported in the literature. SETTING Single-center COVID-19 reference center in Mexico City. RESULTS Fourteen minimally invasive autopsies revealed a gross correlation with open autopsies reports: 1) Lung histology was characterized mainly by early diffuse alveolar damage (12/13). Despite low lung compliances and prolonged mechanical ventilation, the fibrotic phase was rarely observed (2/13). 2) Kidney histopathology demonstrated acute tubular injury (12/13), interstitial nephritis (11/13), and glomerulitis (11/13) as the predominant features 3) Liver histology was characterized by neutrophilic inflammation in all of the cases, as well as hepatic necrosis (8/14) despite minimal alterations in liver function testing. Hepatic steatosis was observed in most cases (12/14). SARS-CoV-2 positivity was widely observed throughout the immunohistochemical analysis. However, endothelitis and micro thrombosis, two of the hallmark features of the disease, were not observed. CONCLUSION Our data represents the largest minimally invasive, ultrasound-guided autopsy report. We demonstrate a gross histological correlation with large open autopsy cohorts. However, this approach might overlook major histologic features of the disease, such as endothelitis and micro-thrombosis. Whether this represents sampling bias is unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Nava-Santana
- Department of Nephrology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, México
| | - María Rodríguez-Armida
- Department of Nephrology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, México
| | - José Víctor Jiménez
- Department of Medicine, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, México
| | - Nancy Vargas-Parra
- Department of Pathology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, México
| | - Diana E. Aguilar León
- Department of Pathology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, México
| | - Alejandro Campos-Murguia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, México
| | - Ricardo Macías-Rodriguez
- Department of Gastroenterology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, México
| | - Andrés Arteaga-Garrido
- Department of Medicine, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, México
| | | | - Guillermo Dominguez-Cherit
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, México
| | - Eduardo Rivero-Sigarroa
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, México
| | - Armando Gamboa-Dominguez
- Department of Pathology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, México
| | - Alfonso Gullias-Herrero
- Department of Medicine, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, México
| | - José Sifuentes-Osornio
- Department of Medicine, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, México
| | - Norma Ofelia Uribe-Uribe
- Department of Pathology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, México
| | - Luis E. Morales-Buenrostro
- Department of Nephrology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, México
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16
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Duarte-Neto AN, Ferraz da Silva LF, Monteiro RADA, Theodoro Filho J, Leite TLLF, de Moura CS, Gomes-Gouvêa MS, Pinho JRR, Kanamura CT, de Oliveria EP, Bispo KCS, Arruda C, Dos Santos AB, Aquino FCG, Caldini EG, Mauad T, Saldiva PHN, Dolhnikoff M. Ultrasound-Guided Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling: A Minimally Invasive Autopsy Strategy During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil, 2020. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 73:S442-S453. [PMID: 34910174 PMCID: PMC8672862 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Minimally invasive autopsies, also known as minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS), have proven to be an alternative to complete diagnostic autopsies (CDAs) in places or situations where this procedure cannot be performed. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, CDAs were suspended by March 2020 in Brazil to reduce biohazard. To contribute to the understanding of COVID-19 pathology, we have conducted ultrasound (US)-guided MITS as a strategy. METHODS This case series study includes 80 autopsies performed in patients with COVID-19 confirmed by laboratorial tests. Different organs were sampled using a standardized MITS protocol. Tissues were submitted to histopathological analysis as well as immunohistochemical and molecular analysis and electron microscopy in selected cases. RESULTS US-guided MITS proved to be a safe and highly accurate procedure; none of the personnel were infected, and accuracy ranged from 69.1% for kidney, up to 90.1% for lungs, and reaching 98.7% and 97.5% for liver and heart, respectively. US-guided MITS provided a systemic view of the disease, describing the most common pathological findings and identifying viral and other infectious agents using ancillary techniques, and also allowed COVID-19 diagnosis confirmation in 5% of the cases that were negative in premortem and postmortem nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swab real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. CONCLUSIONS Our data showed that US-guided MITS has the capacity similar to CDA not only to identify but also to characterize emergent diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaro Nunes Duarte-Neto
- Brazilian Image Autopsy Study Group, Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Investigação Médica 05, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luiz Fernando Ferraz da Silva
- Brazilian Image Autopsy Study Group, Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Investigação Médica 05, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Serviço de Verificação de Óbitos da Capital, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Renata Aparecida de Almeida Monteiro
- Brazilian Image Autopsy Study Group, Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Investigação Médica 05, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jair Theodoro Filho
- Brazilian Image Autopsy Study Group, Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Investigação Médica 05, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thabata Larissa Luciano Ferreira Leite
- Brazilian Image Autopsy Study Group, Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Investigação Médica 05, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Catia Sales de Moura
- Brazilian Image Autopsy Study Group, Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Investigação Médica 05, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Kely Cristina Soares Bispo
- Brazilian Image Autopsy Study Group, Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Investigação Médica 05, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Cássia Arruda
- Brazilian Image Autopsy Study Group, Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Investigação Médica 05, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Aline Brito Dos Santos
- Brazilian Image Autopsy Study Group, Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Investigação Médica 05, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Flavia Cristina Gonçalves Aquino
- Brazilian Image Autopsy Study Group, Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Investigação Médica 05, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Elia Garcia Caldini
- Brazilian Image Autopsy Study Group, Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Investigação Médica 05, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Investigação Médica 59, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thais Mauad
- Brazilian Image Autopsy Study Group, Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Investigação Médica 05, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paulo Hilário Nascimento Saldiva
- Brazilian Image Autopsy Study Group, Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Investigação Médica 05, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marisa Dolhnikoff
- Brazilian Image Autopsy Study Group, Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Investigação Médica 05, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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17
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Bassat Q, Varo R, Hurtado JC, Marimon L, Ferrando M, Ismail MR, Carrilho C, Fernandes F, Castro P, Maixenchs M, Rodrigo-Calvo MT, Guerrero J, Martínez A, Lacerda MVG, Mandomando I, Menéndez C, Martinez MJ, Ordi J, Rakislova N. Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling as an Alternative to Complete Diagnostic Autopsies in the Context of Epidemic Outbreaks and Pandemics: The Example of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Clin Infect Dis 2021; 73:S472-S479. [PMID: 34910176 PMCID: PMC8672745 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Infectious diseases’ outbreak investigation requires, by definition, conducting a thorough epidemiological assessment while simultaneously obtaining biological samples for an adequate screening of potential responsible pathogens. Complete autopsies remain the gold-standard approach for cause-of-death evaluation and characterization of emerging diseases. However, for highly transmissible infections with a significant associated lethality, such as COVID-19, complete autopsies are seldom performed due to biosafety challenges, especially in low-resource settings. Minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS) is a validated new approach based on obtaining postmortem samples from key organs and body fluids, a procedure that does not require advanced biosafety measures or a special autopsy room. Methods We aimed to review the use of MITS or similar procedures for outbreak investigation up to 27 March 2021 and their performance for evaluating COVID-19 deaths. Results After a literature review, we analyzed in detail the results of 20 studies conducted at international sites, whereby 216 COVID-19–related deaths were investigated. MITS provided a general and more granular understanding of the pathophysiological changes secondary to the infection and high-quality samples where the extent and degree of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)–related damage could be evaluated. Conclusions MITS is a useful addition in the investigation and surveillance of infections occurring in outbreaks or epidemics. Its less invasive nature makes the tool more acceptable and feasible and reduces the risk of procedure-associated contagion, using basic biosafety measures. Standardized approaches protocolizing which samples should be collected—and under which exact biosafety measures—are necessary to facilitate and expand its use globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quique Bassat
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça, Maputo, Mozambique.,ICREA, Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, Barcelona, Madrid, Spain.,Pediatrics Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu (University of Barcelona), Barcelona, Spain.,Consorcio de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Rosauro Varo
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Juan Carlos Hurtado
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Microbiology, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lorena Marimon
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Melania Ferrando
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mamudo R Ismail
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo, Mozambique.,Department of Pathology, Maputo Central Hospital, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Carla Carrilho
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo, Mozambique.,Department of Pathology, Maputo Central Hospital, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Fabiola Fernandes
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo, Mozambique.,Department of Pathology, Maputo Central Hospital, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Pedro Castro
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Clínic, Institut D'investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Maixenchs
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça, Maputo, Mozambique
| | | | - José Guerrero
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antonio Martínez
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marcus V G Lacerda
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Brazil.,Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane-ILMD, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Inacio Mandomando
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça, Maputo, Mozambique.,Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INS), Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Clara Menéndez
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça, Maputo, Mozambique.,Consorcio de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Miguel J Martinez
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Microbiology, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jaume Ordi
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Pathology, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Natalia Rakislova
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Pathology, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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18
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Abstract
Evidence-based approaches to preventing child death require evidence; without data on common causes of child mortality, taking effective action to prevent these deaths is difficult at best. Minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS) is a potentially powerful, but nascent, technique to obtain gold standard information on causes of death. The Gates Foundation committed to further establishing the methodology and obtain the highest quality information on the major causes of death for children under 5 years. In 2018, the MITS Surveillance Alliance was launched to implement, refine, and enhance the use of MITS across high mortality settings. The Alliance and its members have contributed to some remarkable opportunities to improve mortality surveillance, and we have only just begun to understand the possibilities on larger scales. This supplement showcases studies conducted by MITS Surveillance Alliance members and represents a significant contribution to the cause-of-death literature from high mortality settings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Scott F Dowell
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Anita Zaidi
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, Washington, USA
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19
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Rakislova N, Rodrigo-Calvo MT, Marimon L, Ribera-Cortada I, Ismail MR, Carrilho C, Fernandes F, Ferrando M, Sanfeliu E, Castillo P, Guerrero J, Ramírez-Ruz J, Saez de Gordoa K, López Del Campo R, Bishop R, Ortiz E, Muñoz-Beatove A, Vila J, Hurtado JC, Navarro M, Maixenchs M, Delgado V, Aldecoa I, Martinez-Pozo A, Castro P, Menéndez C, Bassat Q, Martinez MJ, Ordi J. Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling Findings in 12 Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 73:S454-S464. [PMID: 34910166 PMCID: PMC8672758 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS), a postmortem procedure that uses core needle biopsy samples and does not require opening the body, may be a valid alternative to complete autopsy (CA) in highly infectious diseases such as coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). This study aimed to (1) compare the performance of MITS and CA in a series of COVID-19 deaths and (2) evaluate the safety of the procedure. METHODS From October 2020 to February 2021, MITS was conducted in 12 adults who tested positive before death for COVID-19, in a standard, well-ventilated autopsy room, where personnel used reinforced personal protective equipment. In 9 cases, a CA was performed after MITS. A thorough histological evaluation was conducted, and the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was evaluated by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS The diagnoses provided by MITS and CA matched almost perfectly. In 9 patients, COVID-19 was in the chain of events leading to death, being responsible for diffuse alveolar damage and mononuclear T-cell inflammatory response in the lungs. No specific COVID-19 features were identified. Three deaths were not related to COVID-19. All personnel involved in MITS repeatedly tested negative for COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 was identified by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry in the MITS samples, particularly in the lungs. CONCLUSIONS MITS is useful for evaluating COVID-19-related deaths in settings where a CA is not feasible. The results of this simplified and safer technique are comparable to those of CA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Rakislova
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Lorena Marimon
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Mamudo R Ismail
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo, Mozambique.,Department of Pathology, Maputo Central Hospital, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Carla Carrilho
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo, Mozambique.,Department of Pathology, Maputo Central Hospital, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Fabiola Fernandes
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo, Mozambique.,Department of Pathology, Maputo Central Hospital, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Melania Ferrando
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Esther Sanfeliu
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paola Castillo
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Guerrero
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Ramírez-Ruz
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Rosanna Bishop
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Estrella Ortiz
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Abel Muñoz-Beatove
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Vila
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Microbiology, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan Carlos Hurtado
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Microbiology, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mireia Navarro
- Department of Microbiology, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Maixenchs
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Vima Delgado
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Iban Aldecoa
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.,Neurological Tissue Bank of the Biobank, Hospital Clínic, Institut D'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, University of Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Pedro Castro
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Clínic, Institut D'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Clara Menéndez
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça, Maputo, Mozambique.,Consorcio de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
| | - Quique Bassat
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça, Maputo, Mozambique.,Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, Barcelona, Spain.,Pediatrics Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Spain.,Consorcio de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel J Martinez
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Microbiology, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jaume Ordi
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
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20
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Goco NJ, McClure EM, Rakislova N, Bassat Q. Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling Surveillance Alliance-Facilitating the Expansion of Pathology-Based Mortality Surveillance. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 73:S337-S340. [PMID: 34910169 PMCID: PMC8672742 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling (MITS) Surveillance Alliance was created with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to expand pathology-based mortality surveillance and to support the generation of improved cause-of-death (CoD) data. MITS, also known as minimally invasive autopsy, has evolved to become an important tool to improve CoD ascertainment. Here, we describe the 18 articles included in this supplement that present advanced methods for improving MITS and related areas of research, summarize the expansion of the use of MITS, report on findings from a variety of research projects, and address the importance of postmortem approaches taken during the novel coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Support by the scientific and global health community for enhancements and innovation is needed for the broader adoption of MITS-informed CoD as a critical tool to better understand mortality in low- and middle-income countries and identify interventions for the prevention of premature death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norman J Goco
- RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Natalia Rakislova
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Quique Bassat
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça, Maputo, Mozambique.,Institució Catalana de recerca i estudis avançats (ICREA), Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain.,Pediatrics Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Esplugues, Barcelona, Spain.,Consorcio de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
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21
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Mathew M, Lewis L, Sreenivas A, Purkayastha J. Cause of Death in Neonates With Neurological Insults in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Insights From A MITS Pilot Study. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 73:S408-S414. [PMID: 34910168 PMCID: PMC8672737 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS) of organs has been used as an alternative to complete diagnostic autopsy in countries where refusal for autopsy in newborns is common for sociocultural reasons. There is a paucity of literature regarding the diagnostic utility of MITS of the brain after death in neonates with neurological insults, especially in India. Methods This was a prospective, preliminary single-center tertiary care hospital study in India, focused specifically on MITS of the brain after neonatal death as a diagnostic tool to identify the various neurological insults. All neonatal deaths with neurological symptoms occurring within the first 30 days of life were enrolled, irrespective of the suspected clinical diagnosis. Results Sixteen neonates were enrolled after death for MITS of the brain, performed for diagnostic purposes, during the study period from February 2020 to March 2021. Their gestational ages ranged from 26 to 38 weeks. All neonates had either a history of seizures and/or respiratory distress or clinical evidence of sepsis and were on ventilator support. Histopathology in all 16 neonates showed evidence of anoxia, with or without reactive astrogliosis or microgliosis. In 5 neonates with cranial ultrasound evidence of brain hemorrhage, MITS of the brain showed intraventricular hemorrhage, subdural hemorrhage, or intraparenchymal white matter microhemorrhages. Premortem blood culture–proven sepsis was seen in 9 neonates. In all cases (100%), MITS had a good diagnostic yield and was useful to establish the neurological insult in the brain. Conclusions MITS of the brain provides an accurate and adequate diagnosis and can be an alternative to complete diagnostic autopsy for establishing the cause of death due to neurological insults, especially in low-resource settings where obtaining consent for more invasive procedure is often challenging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Mathew
- Department of Pathology, Centre for Foetal and Perinatal Pathology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Leslie Lewis
- Department of Pediatrics, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Athira Sreenivas
- Department of Pathology, Centre for Foetal and Perinatal Pathology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Jayashree Purkayastha
- Department of Pediatrics, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
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22
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Rugwizangoga B, Niyibizi JB, Ndayisaba MC, Musoni E, Manirakiza F, Uwineza A, Tuyisenge L, Nyundo M, Hategekimana T, Ntakirutimana G. Exploring Perceptions and Acceptance of Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling among Bereaved Relatives and Health-Care Professionals in Rwanda. J Multidiscip Healthc 2021; 14:3421-3427. [PMID: 34938081 PMCID: PMC8685444 DOI: 10.2147/jmdh.s340428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose In most low- and lower middle-income countries (LMICs), minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS) is a relatively new procedure for identifying the cause of death (CoD). This study aimed to explore perceptions and acceptance of bereaved families and health-care professionals regarding MITS in the context of MITS initiation in Rwanda as an alternative to clinical autopsy. Methods This was a qualitative phenomenological study with thematic analysis. Participants were bereaved relatives (individual interviews) and health-care professionals (focus-group discussions) involved in MITS implementation. It was conducted in the largest referral and teaching hospital in Rwanda. Results Motivators of MITS acceptance included eagerness to know the CoD, noninvasiveness of MITS, trust in medics, and the fact that it was free. Barriers to consent to MITS included inadequate explanations from health-care professionals, high socioeconomic status, lack of power to make decisions, and lack of trust in medics. Health-care professionals perceived both conventional autopsy and MITS as gold-standard procedures in CoD determination. They recommended including MITS among hospital services and commended the post-MITS multidisciplinary discussion panel in CoD determination. They pointed out that there might be reticence in approaching bereaved relatives to obtain consent for MITS. Both groups of participants highlighted the issue of delay in releasing MITS results. Conclusion Both health-care professionals and bereaved relatives appreciate that MITS is an acceptable procedure to include in routine hospital services. Dealing with barriers met by either group is to be considered in the eventual next phases of MITS implementation in Rwanda and similar sociocultural contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belson Rugwizangoga
- Department of Clinical Biology, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
- Department of Pathology, University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, Kigali, Rwanda
- Correspondence: Belson Rugwizangoga PO Box 655, Kigali, Rwanda, Tel +250-78-854-6597 Email ;
| | | | | | - Emile Musoni
- Department of Clinical Biology, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
- Department of Pathology, University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Felix Manirakiza
- Department of Clinical Biology, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
- Department of Pathology, University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Annette Uwineza
- Department of Clinical Biology, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
- Department of Pathology, University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Lisine Tuyisenge
- Department of Pediatrics, University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Martin Nyundo
- Department of Surgery, University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, Kigali, Rwanda
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23
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Tanko NM, Bakytkaly I, Issanov A, Poddighe D, Terzic M. Validating a Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling (MITS) Method in Determining Cause of Death in Stillbirths and Neonates. CHILDREN 2021; 8:children8121095. [PMID: 34943291 PMCID: PMC8700338 DOI: 10.3390/children8121095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Complete diagnostic autopsy (CDA) remains the gold standard and a valuable technique for determining cause of death. It is a source of health statistics that can be used to measure health care services’ quality, unraveling important information on disease processes, particularly in emerging and unknown diseases. It can also be a vital tool for medical education and biomedical research. However, autopsy rates have been declining globally. There is an urgent need to develop and validate alternative methods in different settings to provide reliable information on cause of death. In this study, we aimed to determine cause of death (KazCoDe) in neonates and infants using minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS), and to compare these results with those of CDA. We conducted MITS and CDA sequentially on 24 deceased children at the Pathological Bureau of the Akimat of the city of Nur-Sultan. Clinical data of the study subjects were extracted from their clinical records. During both procedures, brain, liver and lung tissues were collected for pathological diagnosis. Fifteen (62.5%) and nine (37.5%) were stillbirths and neonates, respectively. Eight (33.3%) were females and 16 (66.7%) were males. MITS diagnosis of cause of death was concordant with CDA diagnosis in 83.3% out of the 24 cases when considering the immediate and underlying causes of death and reviewing all the clinical and laboratory test results as part of the diagnostic evaluation to arrive at a cause of death (ICD-PM). We concluded that MITS is a valuable and reliable method for cause of death diagnosis in stillbirths and neonates, which can contribute vital mortality statistics in children in the absence of CDA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naanlep Matthew Tanko
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Nazarbayev University, Nur Sultan 010000, Kazakhstan;
- Clinical Academic Department of Laboratory Medicine, Pathology and Genetics, University Medical Center, Nur Sultan 010000, Kazakhstan;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +7-775-658-6325
| | - Ibrayimov Bakytkaly
- Clinical Academic Department of Laboratory Medicine, Pathology and Genetics, University Medical Center, Nur Sultan 010000, Kazakhstan;
| | - Alpamys Issanov
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Nazarbayev University, Nur Sultan 010000, Kazakhstan;
| | - Dimitri Poddighe
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Nazarbayev University, Nur Sultan 010000, Kazakhstan; (D.P.); (M.T.)
- Clinical Academic Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center, Nur Sultan 010000, Kazakhstan
| | - Milan Terzic
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Nazarbayev University, Nur Sultan 010000, Kazakhstan; (D.P.); (M.T.)
- Clinical Academic Department of Women’s Health, University Medical Center, Nur Sultan 010000, Kazakhstan
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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24
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Amato-Lourenço LF, de Souza Xavier Costa N, Dantas KC, Lombardi SCFS, Júnior AM, Lindoso JAL, Lima FG, Carvalho-Oliveira R, Mauad T. Quantification of airborne SARS-CoV-2 genomic particles in different hospital settings. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21284. [PMID: 34711888 PMCID: PMC8553841 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00761-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
We quantified the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the air of different hospital settings and the autopsy room of the largest medical centre in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Real-time reverse-transcription PCR was used to determine the presence of the envelope protein of SARS-CoV-2 and the nucleocapsid protein genes. The E-gene was detected in 5 out of 6 samples at the ICU-COVID-19 ward and in 5 out of 7 samples at the ward-COVID-19. Similarly, in the non-dedicated facilities, the E-gene was detected in 5 out of 6 samples collected in the ICU and 4 out of 7 samples in the ward. In the necropsy room, 6 out of 7 samples were positive for the E-gene. When both wards were compared, the non-COVID ward presented a significantly higher concentration of the E-gene than in the COVID-19 ward (p = 0.003). There was no significant difference in E-gene concentration between the ICU-COVID-19 and the ICU (p = 0.548). Likewise, there was no significant difference among E-gene concentrations found in the autopsy room versus the ICUs and wards (dedicated or not) (p = 0.245). Our results show the widespread presence of aerosol contamination in different hospital units.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Fernando Amato-Lourenço
- LIM-05, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. .,Institute of Advanced Studies (IEA) Global Cities Program, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. .,Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Dr. Arnaldo Avenue, 455, Room 1150, Cerqueira Cesar, São Paulo, 01246903, Brazil.
| | | | - Kátia Cristina Dantas
- LIM-05, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Alfredo Mendroni Júnior
- Laboratory of Medical Investigation in Pathogenesis and Targeted Therapy in OncoImmuno-Hematology (LIM-31), Department of Hematology, Hospital das Clínicas - HCFMUSP, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José Angelo Lauletta Lindoso
- Departamento de Moléstias Infecciosas e Parasitárias - Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Institute of Infectious Diseases Infectology Emilio Ribas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Felipe Gallego Lima
- Heart Institute (InCor), School of Medicine at Sao Paulo University, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Thais Mauad
- LIM-05, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Institute of Advanced Studies (IEA) Global Cities Program, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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25
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Melo DN, Mara Coelho T, Rolim Pinheiro Lima G, Gomes Fernandes C, Cavalcante Fales de Brito Alves B, Montenegro de Carvalho Araújo F, Aparecida de Almeida Monteiro R, Ordi J, Hilário do Nascimento Saldiva P, Pamplona de Góes Cavalcanti L. Use of minimally invasive autopsy during the COVID-19 pandemic and its possibilities in the context of developing countries. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009629. [PMID: 34347788 PMCID: PMC8336791 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Nunes Melo
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Patologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brasil
- Serviço de Verificação de Óbitos Dr Rocha Furtado, Fortaleza, Brasil
| | - Tania Mara Coelho
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brasil
- Hospital São Jose de Doenças Infecciosas, Fortaleza, Brasil
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Jaume Ordi
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Luciano Pamplona de Góes Cavalcanti
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Patologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brasil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brasil
- Faculdade de Medicina, Centro Universitário Christus, Fortaleza, Brasil
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