Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Swabbing the Urban Environment - A Pipeline for Sampling and Detection of SARS-CoV-2 From Environmental Reservoirs
07:13

Swabbing the Urban Environment - A Pipeline for Sampling and Detection of SARS-CoV-2 From Environmental Reservoirs

Published on: April 9, 2021

4.2K

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in self-reported COVID-19-free children

Hsiao-Lun Huang1, Chun-Yi Lu2, Yun-Chung Liu2

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan; Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.

Journal of Microbiology, Immunology, and Infection = Wei Mian Yu Gan Ran Za Zhi
|May 22, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Many children have undetected COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) infections, with serological evidence revealing prior exposure. Household contact, especially with mothers, significantly increases the risk of infection in children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Immunology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) presents significant risks to children.
  • Undetected cases of SARS-CoV-2 (Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2) infection in children complicate disease burden assessment.
  • This study addresses the gap in understanding asymptomatic or unreported pediatric infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the proportion of children with serological evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection despite reporting no previous diagnosis.
  • To identify risk factors associated with seropositivity in children.

Main Methods:

  • Recruitment of children under 19 years old with no reported history of SARS-CoV-2 infection (November 2022 - February 2023).
  • SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing for IgG antibodies against nucleocapsid (N) and spike (S) proteins.
  • Collection of demographic and household contact information.

Main Results:

  • Overall anti-N antibody positivity was 9.2% (24/260) in children reporting no prior infection, with rates varying by age (4%-25%).
  • Household contact, particularly with mothers, significantly elevated the likelihood of antibody positivity.
  • The cumulative infection rate reached 41.9% by January 2024 for children initially negative for anti-N antibodies.

Conclusions:

  • Previously undisclosed SARS-CoV-2 infections are common in children.
  • Household transmission is a major driver of pediatric COVID-19 seropositivity.
  • Clinicians should maintain vigilance for SARS-CoV-2 in children, even those without reported prior exposure.
Abstract

Keywords:
COVID-19ChildrenHousehold transmissionSeroprevalenceUnreported cases

More Related Videos

Separation of Immune Cell Subpopulations in Peripheral Blood Samples from Children with Infectious Mononucleosis08:44

Separation of Immune Cell Subpopulations in Peripheral Blood Samples from Children with Infectious Mononucleosis

Published on: September 7, 2022

2.4K
Quantification and Whole Genome Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Wastewater and Air Samples09:26

Quantification and Whole Genome Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Wastewater and Air Samples

Published on: June 30, 2023

1.1K

Related Concept Videos

Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer01:03

Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer

Rous Sarcoma virus or RSV was discovered by F. Peyton Rous in the year 1911 as a filterable transmissible agent that could cause tumors in chickens. He won a Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1966. His experiments clearly demonstrated that some cancers could be caused by infectious agents and led to the discovery of many more cancer-causing viruses in animals as well as humans.
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand  RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
Prevalence and Incidence01:08

Prevalence and Incidence

In statistical epidemiology and health sciences, two essential metrics—prevalence and incidence—are fundamental for understanding disease dynamics within a population. These measures enable public health officials, epidemiologists, and researchers to assess the burden of diseases, allocate resources effectively, and design impactful public health policies and interventions.
Prevalence indicates the proportion of individuals in a population who have a specific disease or health condition at a...
Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence01:28

Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence

Infectious diseases appear in populations through various transmission patterns, influenced by pathogen characteristics, population immunity, environmental conditions, and social behavior. Understanding these patterns is essential for effective public health surveillance and intervention. These categories—sporadic, outbreak, epidemic, pandemic, and endemic—help frame the nature and scope of disease events.Sporadic diseases occur irregularly and infrequently, without a predictable temporal or...
Chickenpox01:20

Chickenpox

Chickenpox is an acute, highly contagious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), a double-stranded DNA virus belonging to the Herpesviridae family. Its transmission occurs primarily through the inhalation of respiratory droplets or direct contact with vesicular fluid from skin lesions. The incubation period typically ranges from 10 to 21 days, during which the virus replicates and disseminates through sequential phases within the host. Although generally self-limiting in children,...
Coronavirus01:29

Coronavirus

Coronaviruses, including the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), are enveloped viruses characterized by their single-stranded, positive-sense RNA genome and helical nucleocapsid structure. The hallmark of these viruses is their club-shaped spike (S) glycoproteins that protrude from the viral envelope, facilitating attachment to host cells. Typically, coronaviruses infect the upper respiratory tract, often causing mild or asymptomatic disease. However, certain strains like...
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease01:29

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease

Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a widespread pathogen that primarily targets infants and young children but also poses a serious health risk to elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Belonging to the Pneumoviridae family, RSV is a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus within the Pneumovirus genus. Its global health burden is significant, with millions of cases annually resulting in hospitalizations and mortality, particularly in resource-limited settings. Although most...