tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Clin Infect Dis
. 2021 Mar 12;ciab228.
doi: 10.1093/cid/ciab228. Online ahead of print.
Household SARS-CoV-2 transmission and children: a network prospective study
Antoni Soriano-Arandes[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Anna Gatell[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Pepe Serrano[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Mireia Biosca[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Ferran Campillo[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Ramon Capdevila[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Anna F?brega[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Zulema Lobato[SUP] 6 [/SUP], N?ria L?pez[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Ana M? Moreno[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Miriam Poblet[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Maria Teresa Riera-Bosch[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Neus Rius[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Montserrat Ruiz[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Almudena S?nchez[SUP] 13 [/SUP], Cinta Valldep?rez[SUP] 2 [/SUP], M?nica Vil?[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Valent? Pineda[SUP] 15 [/SUP], Uxue Lazcano[SUP] 16 [/SUP], Yesika D?az[SUP] 17 18 [/SUP], Juliana Reyes-Urue?a[SUP] 17 19 [/SUP], Pere Soler-Palac?n[SUP] 1 [/SUP], COPEDI-CAT research group
Collaborators, Affiliations
Abstract
Background: The role of children in household transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains uncertain. Here, we describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of children with COVID-19 in Catalonia (Spain) and investigate the dynamics of household transmission.
Methods: Prospective, observational, multicenter study performed during summer and school periods (1 July-31 October, 2020), in which epidemiological and clinical features, and viral transmission dynamics were analyzed in COVID-19 patients <16 years. A pediatric index case was established when a child was the first individual infected within a household. Secondary cases were defined when another household member tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 before the child. The secondary attack rate (SAR) was calculated, and logistic regression was used to assess associations between transmission risk factors and SARS-CoV-2 infections.
Results: The study included 1040 COVID-19 patients <16 years. Almost half (47.2%) were asymptomatic, 10.8% had comorbidities, and 2.6% required hospitalization. No deaths were reported. Viral transmission was common among household members (62.3%). More than 70% (756/1040) of pediatric cases were secondary to an adult, whereas 7.7% (80/1040) were index cases. The SAR was significantly lower in households with COVID-19 pediatric index cases during the school period relative to summer (p=0.02), and when compared to adults (p=0.006). No individual or environmental risk factors associated with the SAR were identified.
Conclusions: Children are unlikely to cause household COVID-19 clusters or be major drivers of the pandemic even if attending school. Interventions aimed at children are expected to have a small impact on reducing SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; child; coronavirus; household; transmission.
. 2021 Mar 12;ciab228.
doi: 10.1093/cid/ciab228. Online ahead of print.
Household SARS-CoV-2 transmission and children: a network prospective study
Antoni Soriano-Arandes[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Anna Gatell[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Pepe Serrano[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Mireia Biosca[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Ferran Campillo[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Ramon Capdevila[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Anna F?brega[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Zulema Lobato[SUP] 6 [/SUP], N?ria L?pez[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Ana M? Moreno[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Miriam Poblet[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Maria Teresa Riera-Bosch[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Neus Rius[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Montserrat Ruiz[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Almudena S?nchez[SUP] 13 [/SUP], Cinta Valldep?rez[SUP] 2 [/SUP], M?nica Vil?[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Valent? Pineda[SUP] 15 [/SUP], Uxue Lazcano[SUP] 16 [/SUP], Yesika D?az[SUP] 17 18 [/SUP], Juliana Reyes-Urue?a[SUP] 17 19 [/SUP], Pere Soler-Palac?n[SUP] 1 [/SUP], COPEDI-CAT research group
Collaborators, Affiliations
- PMID: 33709135
- DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab228
Abstract
Background: The role of children in household transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains uncertain. Here, we describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of children with COVID-19 in Catalonia (Spain) and investigate the dynamics of household transmission.
Methods: Prospective, observational, multicenter study performed during summer and school periods (1 July-31 October, 2020), in which epidemiological and clinical features, and viral transmission dynamics were analyzed in COVID-19 patients <16 years. A pediatric index case was established when a child was the first individual infected within a household. Secondary cases were defined when another household member tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 before the child. The secondary attack rate (SAR) was calculated, and logistic regression was used to assess associations between transmission risk factors and SARS-CoV-2 infections.
Results: The study included 1040 COVID-19 patients <16 years. Almost half (47.2%) were asymptomatic, 10.8% had comorbidities, and 2.6% required hospitalization. No deaths were reported. Viral transmission was common among household members (62.3%). More than 70% (756/1040) of pediatric cases were secondary to an adult, whereas 7.7% (80/1040) were index cases. The SAR was significantly lower in households with COVID-19 pediatric index cases during the school period relative to summer (p=0.02), and when compared to adults (p=0.006). No individual or environmental risk factors associated with the SAR were identified.
Conclusions: Children are unlikely to cause household COVID-19 clusters or be major drivers of the pandemic even if attending school. Interventions aimed at children are expected to have a small impact on reducing SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; child; coronavirus; household; transmission.