Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in children: epidemiology, presentation and management

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Pediatrics
• Virology

Background:

• Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a novel, highly contagious respiratory infection caused by a new coronavirus strain.
• Adults face progressive respiratory failure with an 8-15% mortality rate, while children experience milder disease.
• SARS primarily spreads via droplet transmission, with children often infected through close household contact with adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the clinical presentation, laboratory findings, and pathophysiology of SARS in children.
• To discuss the implications of SARS for pediatric populations and public health.
• To highlight the importance of infection control and the need for further research into optimal pediatric treatment.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on SARS, focusing on pediatric cases.
• Analysis of common laboratory findings and radiographic presentations in children.
• Discussion of transmission dynamics and immunological aspects of SARS.

Main Results:

• Children with SARS exhibit milder disease and no reported case fatality.
• Common laboratory findings include lymphopenia and elevated lactate dehydrogenase and creatinine phosphokinase.
• Radiographic evidence of air space consolidation may be present, though initial chest X-rays can be normal.

Conclusions:

• SARS in children is generally less severe than in adults, with distinct clinical and laboratory features.
• Effective control relies on isolation of infected adults, hospital infection control, contact tracing, and quarantine.
• Further controlled trials are essential to establish optimal SARS treatment strategies for children.