tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Pediatr (Rio J)
. 2022 Apr 19;S0021-7557(22)00044-4.
doi: 10.1016/j.jped.2022.03.003. Online ahead of print.
Rhinovirus as the main co-circulating virus during the COVID-19 pandemic in children
Fernanda Hammes Varela[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ivaine Tais Sauthier Sartor[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Márcia Polese-Bonatto[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Thaís Raupp Azevedo[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Luciane Beatriz Kern[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Tiago Fazolo[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Caroline Nespolo de David[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Gabriela Oliveira Zavaglia[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ingrid Rodrigues Fernandes[SUP] 2 [/SUP], João Ronaldo Mafalda Krauser[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Renato T Stein[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Marcelo Comerlato Scotta[SUP] 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: Changes in the epidemiology of respiratory infections during the restrictions imposed as a response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have been reported elsewhere. The present study's aim was to describe the prevalence of a large array of respiratory pathogens in symptomatic children and adolescents during the pandemic in Southern Brazil.
Methods: Hospitalized and outpatients aged 2 months to 18 years with signs and symptoms of acute COVID-19 were prospectively enrolled in the study from May to November 2020 in two hospitals in a large metropolitan area in a Brazilian city. All participants performed a real-time PCR panel assessing 20 respiratory pathogens (three bacteria and 17 viruses).
Results: 436 participants were included, with 45 of these hospitalized. Rhinovirus was the most prevalent pathogen (216/436) followed by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, 97/436), with a coinfection of these two viruses occurring in 31/436 participants. The remaining pathogens were found in 24 symptomatic participants (adenovirus, n = 6; Chlamydophila pneumoniae, n = 1; coronavirus NL63, n = 2; human enterovirus, n = 7; human metapneumovirus, n = 2; Mycoplasma pneumoniae, n = 6). Hospitalization was more common among infants (p = 0.004) and those with pathogens other than SARS-CoV-2 (p = 0.001).
Conclusion: During the period of social distancing in response to COVID-19, the prevalence of most respiratory pathogens was unusually low. Rhinovirus remained as the main virus co-circulating with SARS-CoV-2. COVID-19 in symptomatic children was less associated with hospitalization than with other respiratory infections in children and adolescents.
Keywords: COVID-19; Coinfection; Rhinovirus; SARS-CoV-2.
. 2022 Apr 19;S0021-7557(22)00044-4.
doi: 10.1016/j.jped.2022.03.003. Online ahead of print.
Rhinovirus as the main co-circulating virus during the COVID-19 pandemic in children
Fernanda Hammes Varela[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ivaine Tais Sauthier Sartor[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Márcia Polese-Bonatto[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Thaís Raupp Azevedo[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Luciane Beatriz Kern[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Tiago Fazolo[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Caroline Nespolo de David[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Gabriela Oliveira Zavaglia[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ingrid Rodrigues Fernandes[SUP] 2 [/SUP], João Ronaldo Mafalda Krauser[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Renato T Stein[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Marcelo Comerlato Scotta[SUP] 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 35490727
- DOI: 10.1016/j.jped.2022.03.003
Abstract
Background: Changes in the epidemiology of respiratory infections during the restrictions imposed as a response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have been reported elsewhere. The present study's aim was to describe the prevalence of a large array of respiratory pathogens in symptomatic children and adolescents during the pandemic in Southern Brazil.
Methods: Hospitalized and outpatients aged 2 months to 18 years with signs and symptoms of acute COVID-19 were prospectively enrolled in the study from May to November 2020 in two hospitals in a large metropolitan area in a Brazilian city. All participants performed a real-time PCR panel assessing 20 respiratory pathogens (three bacteria and 17 viruses).
Results: 436 participants were included, with 45 of these hospitalized. Rhinovirus was the most prevalent pathogen (216/436) followed by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, 97/436), with a coinfection of these two viruses occurring in 31/436 participants. The remaining pathogens were found in 24 symptomatic participants (adenovirus, n = 6; Chlamydophila pneumoniae, n = 1; coronavirus NL63, n = 2; human enterovirus, n = 7; human metapneumovirus, n = 2; Mycoplasma pneumoniae, n = 6). Hospitalization was more common among infants (p = 0.004) and those with pathogens other than SARS-CoV-2 (p = 0.001).
Conclusion: During the period of social distancing in response to COVID-19, the prevalence of most respiratory pathogens was unusually low. Rhinovirus remained as the main virus co-circulating with SARS-CoV-2. COVID-19 in symptomatic children was less associated with hospitalization than with other respiratory infections in children and adolescents.
Keywords: COVID-19; Coinfection; Rhinovirus; SARS-CoV-2.