COVID-19 and Acute Otitis Media in Children: A Case Series.

BACKGROUND: The association of SARS-CoV-2 with acute otitis media (AOM) in children is poorly understood. METHODS: Cases were identified as a subpopulation within the NO TEARS prospective AOM study in Denver, CO from March to December 2020. Children enrolled were 6 to 35 months of age with uncomplicated AOM; those with AOM and SARS-CoV-2 were included. Data was obtained from electronic medical records and research case report forms. RESULTS: A total of 108 patients enrolled in the NO TEARS study from May 2019 through December 2020 (all subsequently tested for SARS CoV-2). During the COVID-19 pandemic study period (March-December 2020), 16 patients enrolled, and 7 (43.6%) were identified with AOM/COVID-19 co-infection. Fever was present in 3 of 7 children (29%). Four children (57%) attended daycare. Only 2 children (29%) had SARS CoV-2 testing as part of their clinical workup. Mean AOM-SOS© scores were similar among SARS CoV-2 positive and negative patients with no statistical significance with two-sided t-tests: 13.6 (±4.5) versus 14.2 (±4.9) at enrollment, 1.4 (±1.8) versus 4.2 (±4.9) on Day 5, and 0.6 (±0.9) versus 2.5 (±6.1) on Day 14. Among the 7 cases, no child had an AOM treatment failure or recurrence within 3 to 14 or 15 to 30 days respectively. Of the 6 patients with completed bacterial and viral testing, a bacterial pathogen was identified in all 6, and a viral pathogen in 3 (50%). CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 and AOM can co-exist. Providers should maintain a high index of suspicion for COVID-19 even in patients with clinical AOM and should not use a diagnosis of AOM to exclude COVID-19.

Epidemiology and Transmission Dynamics of COVID-19 in an Urban Pediatric US Population.

OBJECTIVE: This analysis summarizes observational epidemiologic data and transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 among people aged <18 years to better characterize the pediatric COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of public health surveillance data among children in Denver, Colorado, who were reported to have COVID-19 from March 1, 2020, through September 30, 2021. We used descriptive statistics and bivariate rate ratios (RRs) to describe demographic and clinical characteristics, transmission dynamics, case trends, and ecological associations. RESULTS: A total of 9815 children and adolescents who had COVID-19 were reported during the study period. Adolescents aged 14-17 years had the highest incidence rate (IR) per 1000 people (IR = 107.5; 3021 of 28 108). Hispanic/Latino children had a 1.6 times higher rate of infection than non-Hispanic White children (RR = 1.57; 95% CI, 1.50-1.65; P < .001). Few hospitalizations (n = 138, 1.4%) and deaths (n = 3, 0%) occurred. Most children were symptomatic (4487 of 5499, 81.6%). Within household clusters, a large proportion of pediatric cases (n = 6136) were a secondary case (n = 3959, 64.5%), followed by index case (n = 1170, 19.1%) and co-index case (n = 1007, 16.4%). Non-Hispanic White children had an increased risk of being an index or co-index case (RR = 1.14; 95% CI, 1.06-1.23; P < .001), while Hispanic/Latino children had an increased risk of being a secondary case (RR = 1.07; 95% CI, 1.03-1.11; P < .001). From 2020 to 2021, the association between pediatric case rates and neighborhoods with higher poverty and households with ≥3 people decreased. CONCLUSIONS: Older children and those identifying as Hispanic/Latino had a disproportionate incidence of disease. A sizable proportion of children were considered index cases or co-index cases. Pediatric prevention strategies, especially vaccinations, are vital for pandemic control.

A qualitative evaluation of pediatric conjunctivitis medical decision making and opportunities to improve care.

BACKGROUND: Acute infectious conjunctivitis is a common childhood illness, and the role of antibiotic treatment remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to describe the decision-making process providers use when managing infectious conjunctivitis, to identify factors that reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescribing, and to evaluate how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced prescribing behavior. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 providers caring for children in primary care, urgent cares, and emergency departments in Denver, Colorado. Interviews were evaluated for major themes using deductive and inductive content analysis methods. RESULTS: Significant drivers for deciding to treat infectious conjunctivitis with antibiotics included patient's clinical presentation, family expectations, antibiotic stewardship concerns, etiological diagnostic uncertainty, and school/daycare policies. High variability existed in approaches used to distinguish viral from bacterial conjunctivitis. No providers were aware of pediatric treatment guidelines or standardized recommendations for return to school or daycare. Providers reported higher antibiotic prescribing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Factors identified that could reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescribing included family education, a reliable diagnostic test to decrease diagnostic uncertainty, pediatric clinical guidelines, and standardizing exclusion policies for school/daycare. CONCLUSIONS: Management of pediatric infectious conjunctivitis is inconsistent. Creation of guidelines for the evaluation and management of infectious conjunctivitis in children could help reduce unnecessary prescribing and the burden for families and the health care system. In addition, updated guidelines for school/daycare exclusion may be important to establish streamlined and evidence-based exclusion practices.

SARS-CoV-2 and Acute Otitis Media in Children: A Case Series

Background Reports in adults with COVID-19 and acute otitis media (AOM) show that severe symptoms and hearing loss may be more common than with the clinical presentation of typical AOM. However, the association of SARS-CoV-2 with AOM in children is poorly understood. Methods Cases were identified as a subpopulation enrolled in the NOTEARS prospective AOM study in Denver, CO from March-December 2020. Children enrolled were 6-35 months of age with uncomplicated AOM and prescribed amoxicillin. Children diagnosed with AOM and SARS-CoV-2, detected by polymerase chain reaction assay, were included in the case series. Data was obtained from electronic medical records and research case report forms. Patients completed surveys at enrollment and 5, 14 and 30 days after enrollment that included the Acute Otitis Media Severity of Symptoms (AOM-SOS©) scale. All patients had nasopharyngeal otopathogen testing completed. Results A total of 108 patients had been enrolled through December 2020 (all of whom were subsequently tested for SARS CoV-2). During the study period for this case series, 16 patients were enrolled, and 7 (43.6%) were identified with AOM/SARS-CoV-2 co-infection. Among these 7 patients, fever was present in 3 children (29%). Four children (57%) attended daycare. Only 2 children (29%) had testing for SARS CoV-2 as part of their clinical workup. Mean AOM-SOS© scores were similar among the SARS CoV-2 positive and negative patients with no statistical significance noted with two-sided t-tests: 13.6 (± 4.5) vs 14.2 (± 4.9) at enrollment, 1.4 (± 1.8) vs 4.2 (±4.9) on Day 5, and 0.6 (± 0.9) vs. 2.5 (±6.1) on Day 14 (Table 1). Among the 7 patients, no child had an AOM treatment failure or recurrence. Of the 6 patients in whom bacterial and viral testing have been completed, a bacterial otopathogen was identified in 6 (100%), and a viral pathogen in 3 (50%) children (Table 2). Table 1. Clinical features of children with concurrent SARS-CoV-2 and AOM Table 2. Laboratory findings of children with concurrent SARS-CoV-2 and AOM. Conclusion SARS-CoV-2 can occur in children with AOM. It is important that providers maintain a high index of suspicion for COVID-19 even in patients with clinical evidence of AOM, particularly to ensure families are appropriately advised on isolation and quarantine requirements. AOM with SARS-CoV-2 does not appear to be more severe than AOM without SARS-CoV-2. Disclosures Samuel R. Dominguez, MD, PhD, BioFire Diagnostics (Consultant, Research Grant or Support)DiaSorin Molecular (Consultant)Pfizer (Grant/Research Support) Samuel R. Dominguez, MD, PhD, BioFire (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Consultant, Research Grant or Support;DiaSorin Molecular (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Consultant;Pfizer (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Grant/Research Support

Ophthalmic antibiotic use for acute infectious conjunctivitis in children.

BACKGROUND: Infectious conjunctivitis is among the most common pediatric infections worldwide; antibiotics are often not indicated. We aimed to determine factors associated with ophthalmic antibiotic prescribing and changes in prescribing prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic at a single center. METHODS: Encounters for children with infectious conjunctivitis from 2017 to 2020 at Denver Health and Hospital Authority clinics were analyzed retrospectively. Factors associated with prescribing were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression modeling. Encounter numbers and prescribing patterns for telephone versus in-person visits before and during the pandemic were compared and stratified. RESULTS: Of 5,283 patients encounters for conjunctivitis, 3,841 (72.7%) resulted in an ophthalmic antibiotic prescription. Concurrent diagnosis with acute otitis media (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.20 (95% CI, 0.16-0.25) and later study year (2018-aOR = 0.76 [95% CI, 0.65-0.89]; 2019- aOR = 0.57 [95% CI, 0.48-0.67]) were associated with reduced odds of prescribing. Compared with those evaluated in pediatric clinics, patients evaluated in family medicine (aOR = 0.69 [95% CI, 0.58-0.83]) or optometry/ophthalmology clinics (aOR = 0.06 [95% CI, 0.02-0.14]) were less likely to have antibiotics prescribed, whereas, patients evaluated via telephone had a 5.43 (95% CI, 3.97-7.42) greater odds of being prescribed ophthalmic antibiotics. Antibiotic prescribing increased from 67.8% prior to the COVID-19 pandemic to 81.9% during the pandemic (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Discordant with national guideline recommendations, ophthalmic antibiotic use for conjunctivitis was high. Telephone visits were associated with higher rates of prescribing. Rates of prescribing increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic.