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Emerg Infect Dis
. 2024 Aug;30(8):1589-1598.
doi: 10.3201/eid3008.240031.
Fatal SARS-CoV-2 Infection among Children, Japan, January-September 20221
Shingo Mitsushima, Yuichiro Yahata, Yuuki Tsuchihashi, Chiaki Ikenoue, Munehisa Fukusumi, Shogo Otake, Tomoe Shimada, Takuya Yamagishi, Hajime Kamiya, Yusuke Kobayashi, Hitomi Kurosu, Mai Okuyama, Saeko Morino, Miho Shibamura, Sayaka Takanashi, Taro Kamigaki, Kanako Otani, Manami Nakashita, Hanae Ito, Ayako Miyazaki, Masaya Koshiko, Masanao Harakuni, Megumi Onuma, Hiroko Chiba, Maki Masutani, Natsu Sudani, Yuka Satsuki, Taketoshi Takara, Akira Oka, Tomohiro Katsuta, Naoki Shimizu, Akihiko Saitoh, Tetsuya Sakamoto, Motoi Suzuki, Tomimasa Sunagawa; COVID-19 Fatal Pediatric Cases Database Group
To determine the characteristics of pediatric patients 0-19 years of age who died after onset of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Japan during January 1-September 30, 2022, we reviewed multiple sources. We identified 62 cases, collected detailed information from medical records and death certificates, and conducted interviews, resulting in 53 patients with detailed information for our study. Among 46 patients with internal causes of death (i.e., not external causes such as trauma), 15% were <1 year of age, 59% had no underlying disease, and 88% eligible for vaccination were unvaccinated. Nonrespiratory symptoms were more common than respiratory symptoms. Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest affected 46% of patients, and time from symptom onset to death was <7 days for 77%. Main suspected causes of death were central nervous system abnormalities (35%) and cardiac abnormalities (20%). We recommend careful follow-up of pediatric patients after SARS-CoV-2 infection during the first week after symptom onset, regardless of underlying diseases.
Keywords: 2019 novel coronavirus disease; COVID-19; Japan; SARS-CoV-2; children; coronavirus disease; death; encephalopathy; myocarditis; pediatrics; respiratory infections; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; underlying disease; viruses; zoonoses.
. 2024 Aug;30(8):1589-1598.
doi: 10.3201/eid3008.240031.
Fatal SARS-CoV-2 Infection among Children, Japan, January-September 20221
Shingo Mitsushima, Yuichiro Yahata, Yuuki Tsuchihashi, Chiaki Ikenoue, Munehisa Fukusumi, Shogo Otake, Tomoe Shimada, Takuya Yamagishi, Hajime Kamiya, Yusuke Kobayashi, Hitomi Kurosu, Mai Okuyama, Saeko Morino, Miho Shibamura, Sayaka Takanashi, Taro Kamigaki, Kanako Otani, Manami Nakashita, Hanae Ito, Ayako Miyazaki, Masaya Koshiko, Masanao Harakuni, Megumi Onuma, Hiroko Chiba, Maki Masutani, Natsu Sudani, Yuka Satsuki, Taketoshi Takara, Akira Oka, Tomohiro Katsuta, Naoki Shimizu, Akihiko Saitoh, Tetsuya Sakamoto, Motoi Suzuki, Tomimasa Sunagawa; COVID-19 Fatal Pediatric Cases Database Group
- PMID: 39043405
- DOI: 10.3201/eid3008.240031
To determine the characteristics of pediatric patients 0-19 years of age who died after onset of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Japan during January 1-September 30, 2022, we reviewed multiple sources. We identified 62 cases, collected detailed information from medical records and death certificates, and conducted interviews, resulting in 53 patients with detailed information for our study. Among 46 patients with internal causes of death (i.e., not external causes such as trauma), 15% were <1 year of age, 59% had no underlying disease, and 88% eligible for vaccination were unvaccinated. Nonrespiratory symptoms were more common than respiratory symptoms. Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest affected 46% of patients, and time from symptom onset to death was <7 days for 77%. Main suspected causes of death were central nervous system abnormalities (35%) and cardiac abnormalities (20%). We recommend careful follow-up of pediatric patients after SARS-CoV-2 infection during the first week after symptom onset, regardless of underlying diseases.
Keywords: 2019 novel coronavirus disease; COVID-19; Japan; SARS-CoV-2; children; coronavirus disease; death; encephalopathy; myocarditis; pediatrics; respiratory infections; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; underlying disease; viruses; zoonoses.