Author:
Pokorska-Śpiewak Maria,Talarek Ewa,Popielska Jolanta,Nowicka Karolina,Ołdakowska Agnieszka,Zawadka Konrad,Kowalik-Mikołajewska Barbara,Tomasik Anna,Dobrzeniecka Anna,Lipińska Marta,Krynicka-Czech Beata,Coupland Urszula,Stańska-Perka Aleksandra,Ludek Małgorzata,Marczyńska Magdalena
Abstract
AbstractData on the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children are limited, and studies from Europe are scarce. We analyzed the clinical severity and epidemiologic aspects of COVID-19 in consecutive children aged 0–18 years, referred with a suspicion of COVID-19 between February 1, and April 15, 2020. RT-PCR on a nasopharyngeal swab was used to confirm COVID-19. 319 children met the criteria of a suspected case. COVID-19 was diagnosed in 15/319 (4.7%) patients (8 male; mean age 10.5 years). All of them had household contact with an infected relative. Five (33.3%) patients were asymptomatic. In 9/15 (60.0%) children, the course of the disease was mild, and in 1/15 (6.7%), it was moderate, with the following symptoms: fever (46.7%), cough (40%), diarrhea (20%), vomiting (13.3%), rhinitis (6.7%), and shortness of breath (6.7%). In the COVID-19-negative patients, other infections were confirmed, including influenza in 32/319 (10%). The clinical course of COVID-19 and influenza differed significantly based on the clinical presentation. In conclusion, the clinical course of COVID-19 in children is usually mild or asymptomatic. In children suspected of having COVID-19, other infections should not be overlooked. The main risk factor for COVID-19 in children is household contact with an infected relative.
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Reference19 articles.
1. Zimmermann, P. & Curtis, N. Coronavirus infections in children including COVID-19. An overview of the epidemiology, clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and prevention options in children. Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 39, 355–368. https://doi.org/10.1097/INF.0000000000002660 (2020).
2. Rasmussen, S. A. & Thompson, L. A. Coronavirus disease 2019 and children: What pediatric health care clinicians need to know. JAMA Pediatr. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.1224 (2020).
3. World Health Organization. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Situation report-51. Geneva (Switzerland), World Health Organization. 2020; [cited 2020 Mar 12]. https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200311-sitrep-51-covid-19.pdf.
4. Tagarro, A. et al. Screening and severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children in Madrid Spain. JAMA Pediatr. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.1346 (2020).
5. Wu, Z. & McGoogan, J. M. Characteristics of and important lessons from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in China: summary of a report of 72 314 cases from the chinese center for disease control and prevention. JAMA https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.2648 (2020).