14Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) infections in pregnant livestock are associated with high 15 rates of fetal demise and have been linked to miscarriage in pregnant women. To address how 16 acute RVFV infection during pregnancy causes detrimental effects on the fetus, we developed an 17 immunocompetent pregnant rodent model of RVFV infection. We found that pregnant rats were 18 more susceptible to RVFV-induced death than their non-pregnant counterparts and that RVFV 19 infection resulted in intrauterine fetal death and severe congenital abnormalities, even in pups from 20 infected asymptomatic pregnant rats. Virus distribution in infected dams was widespread, with a 21 previously unrecognized preference for infection, replication, and tissue damage in the placenta. 22In human mid-gestation placental tissue, RVFV directly infected placental chorionic villi, with 23 replication detected in the outermost syncytial layer. Our work identifies direct placental infection 24 by RVFV as a mechanism for vertical transmission and points to the teratogenic potential of this 25 virus in humans. This is the first time vertical transmission of RVFV has been shown in species 26
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