Coronavirus global pandemic: An overview of current findings among pediatric patients

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic presents a significant global health challenge.
• Children exhibit distinct clinical features, often with less severe respiratory symptoms compared to adults.
• The rapid pace of research necessitates a continuous reassessment of COVID-19 knowledge and treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively evaluate the characteristics of COVID-19 in pediatric populations globally, across all age groups from neonates to adolescents.
• To compare the clinical presentation and outcomes of COVID-19 in children with those observed in adult patients.

Main Methods:

• A systematic electronic literature search was performed on PubMed.
• Keywords included "coronavirus," "SARS-CoV-2," "COVID-19," and "children."
• The search encompassed English-language articles published between January 1, 2019, and August 15, 2020.

Main Results:

• The search yielded 266 relevant articles detailing pediatric COVID-19 cases.
• Children were predominantly identified within family clusters and generally presented with milder clinical symptoms.
• Common symptoms included cough and fever, with pneumonia being the primary respiratory manifestation; outcomes were better with significantly lower mortality rates compared to adults.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric COVID-19 cases, often linked to family transmission, typically manifest as mild infections.
• A growing number of cases involving multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) are being reported.
• Investigating the reasons behind the diverse SARS-CoV-2 manifestations in children is vital for advancing vaccine and therapeutic development.