Spectrum of Lung Histopathology in Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling (MITS) in a Community-Based Infant Mortality Surveillance in a Low- and Middle-Income Country: A Case Series
Case series reveals diverse pulmonary pathologies via minimally invasive tissue sampling in deceased infants, highlighting postmortem utility in low-resource settings.
Key Points
To describe pulmonary histopathological features identified through minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS) in deceased infants within a community-based surveillance program in a low-resource setting.
Conducted community-based mortality surveillance between November 2020 and June 2021 within a Health and Demographic Surveillance System catchment area.
Collected postmortem lung tissue core biopsies via MITS from deceased infants younger than 6 months following family consent.
Processed tissue specimens and evaluated structural and cellular features using standard hematoxylin and eosin staining.
Identified histopathological abnormalities in 24 specimens, demonstrating conditions including bacterial pneumonia, bronchopneumonia, and diffuse alveolar damage.
Observed bacterial pneumonia in two neonates, bronchopneumonia without identified pathogens in two, and intra-alveolar squames and keratinous debris indicative of amniotic fluid aspiration in four stillbirths.
Documented diffuse alveolar damage characteristic of acute respiratory distress syndrome in two infants and nonspecific interstitial inflammation in one specimen.