Impact of Vaccination and Prior Infection on SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load in Preschool Children During the Omicron Pandemic

Background: Preschool-aged children can have difficulty adhering to infection control measures and were affected during the Omicron wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, the impacts of prior severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and vaccination on viral load in this age group remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, COVID-19 vaccination, and viral load or clinical severity in preschool-aged children infected during the Omicron variant epidemic in Japan. Methods: This prospective observational study investigated 107 children aged 1-75 months who were diagnosed with COVID-19 between May and September 2023. Rapid antigen (Ag) tests were performed on days 1 and 5 or 6, and results were visually graded into four categories (-, ±, 1+, or 2+). Ag results were validated against quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) cycle threshold (Ct) values. Clinical parameters, including vaccination status, previous infection, age, maximum body temperature, and fever duration, were analyzed using multivariate regression models. Results: Higher Ag loads (1+/2+) were more frequently observed in younger children who had not experienced prior infection or full vaccination. Prior infection and vaccination were independently linked to lower Ag loads and reduced maximum body temperature. Many unvaccinated and infection-naïve children continued to show elevated Ag levels on day 5 or 6, corresponding to Ct values suggestive of potential infectivity. Conclusions: Prior SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination were linked to lower viral loads and milder febrile responses among preschool-aged children. These findings enhance our understanding of infection dynamics in this age group and may inform future discussions on public health strategies in pediatric settings.