tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Med Virol
. 2020 Nov 20.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.26684. Online ahead of print.
Clinical Characteristics of Pediatric SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Kuwait
Danah Alsharrah[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Fatemah Alhaddad[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Munirah Alyaseen[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Sarah Aljamaan[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Nahar Almutairi[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Mariam Ayed[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jesse Papenburg[SUP] 4 5 6 [/SUP], Mohammad Alghounaim[SUP] 7 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Clinical presentation of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) ranges from asymptomatic to severe and life-threatening. National-level registries found that children, generally, have less severe disease when compared to adults. However, most asymptomatically infected children will not present to hospital and may be missed. We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics in pediatric COVID-19 patients in Kuwait, and to estimate the potential duration of viral shedding. A retrospective cohort study was performed in Jaber Alahmad Hospital (JAH) from Feb. 29[SUP]th[/SUP] to Apr. 30[SUP]th[/SUP] , 2020. During the study period and as part of the public health measures, all SARS-CoV-2-infected patients 1 month-18 years old, regardless of symptoms, were hospitalized at JAH, and were included. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) negativity was defined as having two consecutive negative PCR results from a respiratory specimen. Descriptive statistics and multivariable regression analyses were performed. We found that 67.9% (95%CI 59.4%-75.3%) of 134 SARS-CoV-2-infected children were asymptomatic. Median PCR positivity was 15 days and did not vary with symptoms. Among patients who had laboratory investigations and chest imaging, symptomatic infection was associated with elevated C-reactive protein and procalcitonin, and radiographic pneumonia. Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection is very common in children. Among symptomatic patients, the disease seems to be mild. Children exhibit substantial duration of viral shedding, regardless of symptoms. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Coronavirus < Virus classification; Epidemiology; SARS coronavirus < Virus classification; Shedding < Pathogenesis.
. 2020 Nov 20.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.26684. Online ahead of print.
Clinical Characteristics of Pediatric SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Kuwait
Danah Alsharrah[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Fatemah Alhaddad[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Munirah Alyaseen[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Sarah Aljamaan[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Nahar Almutairi[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Mariam Ayed[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jesse Papenburg[SUP] 4 5 6 [/SUP], Mohammad Alghounaim[SUP] 7 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 33219559
- DOI: 10.1002/jmv.26684
Abstract
Clinical presentation of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) ranges from asymptomatic to severe and life-threatening. National-level registries found that children, generally, have less severe disease when compared to adults. However, most asymptomatically infected children will not present to hospital and may be missed. We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics in pediatric COVID-19 patients in Kuwait, and to estimate the potential duration of viral shedding. A retrospective cohort study was performed in Jaber Alahmad Hospital (JAH) from Feb. 29[SUP]th[/SUP] to Apr. 30[SUP]th[/SUP] , 2020. During the study period and as part of the public health measures, all SARS-CoV-2-infected patients 1 month-18 years old, regardless of symptoms, were hospitalized at JAH, and were included. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) negativity was defined as having two consecutive negative PCR results from a respiratory specimen. Descriptive statistics and multivariable regression analyses were performed. We found that 67.9% (95%CI 59.4%-75.3%) of 134 SARS-CoV-2-infected children were asymptomatic. Median PCR positivity was 15 days and did not vary with symptoms. Among patients who had laboratory investigations and chest imaging, symptomatic infection was associated with elevated C-reactive protein and procalcitonin, and radiographic pneumonia. Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection is very common in children. Among symptomatic patients, the disease seems to be mild. Children exhibit substantial duration of viral shedding, regardless of symptoms. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Coronavirus < Virus classification; Epidemiology; SARS coronavirus < Virus classification; Shedding < Pathogenesis.