[Clinical and epidemiological features of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children under 16 years of age]

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Julia Alonso de la Hoz1, Arantxa Vidal Esteban1, Susana de Las Heras Ibarra1

  • 1Hospital Universitario de Fuenlabrada, Madrid, España.

Andes Pediatrica : Revista Chilena De Pediatria
|June 23, 2022
PubMed

Insights

In children under 16, SARS-CoV-2 infection presented with fever and respiratory symptoms, with nearly 5% requiring hospitalization. Identifying close contacts was challenging in many pediatric cases.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Limited data exists on pediatric SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) infections compared to adults.
  • Understanding transmission, symptoms, and effective treatments in children is crucial during the pandemic.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children under 16 years of age.
  • To identify key symptoms, risk factors, and outcomes in the pediatric population.

Main Methods:

  • A descriptive study was conducted on children tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA.
  • Data included epidemiological factors, symptoms, and signs of infection from 1378 pediatric patients.
  • Testing was performed due to symptoms, close contact, or hospitalization/surgical needs.

Main Results:

  • 12% (165 out of 1378) of pediatric patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.
  • Fever, runny nose, and cough were the most frequent symptoms; digestive issues were also noted.
  • 4.8% of positive pediatric cases required hospitalization; one case of COVID-19 pneumonia and two cases of MIS-C were observed.

Conclusions:

  • SARS-CoV-2 infection is generally milder in children, but hospitalization is still required for a small percentage.
  • A significant proportion of cases (61%) lacked identified close contacts, complicating transmission tracking.
  • Further research across all care levels is needed to fully characterize pediatric SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Abstract

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