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Characteristics, contacts, and relative risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among children during school closures.
Sim, Jun Yi; Wu, Ping-Sheng; Cheng, Ching-Feng; Yiang, Giou-Teng; Yu, Chun-Hsien.
  • Sim JY; Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, 289 Jianguo Road, Xindian District, New Taipei City 23142, Taiwan.
  • Wu PS; Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, 289 Jianguo Road, Xindian District, New Taipei City 23142, Taiwan; Department of Pediatrics, Buddhist Tzu Chi University College of Medicine, Hualien, Taiwan.
  • Cheng CF; Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, 289 Jianguo Road, Xindian District, New Taipei City 23142, Taiwan; Department of Pediatrics, Buddhist Tzu Chi University College of Medicine, Hualien, Taiwan.
  • Yiang GT; Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Taiwan; Department of Emergency Medicine, Buddhist Tzu Chi University College of Medicine, Hualien, Taiwan.
  • Yu CH; Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, 289 Jianguo Road, Xindian District, New Taipei City 23142, Taiwan; Department of Pediatrics, Buddhist Tzu Chi University College of Medicine, Hualien, Taiwan. Electronic address: chryu@mail.tcu.edu.tw.
J Microbiol Immunol Infect ; 2021 Dec 31.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1587209
ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Characteristics of children with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Taiwanese households is nascent. We sought to characterize SARS-CoV-2 infection, and estimate the relative risk of infection among children within households during school closures in Taipei and New Taipei City.

METHODS:

We reviewed consecutive children below 18 years presenting to our emergency department from May 18, 2021 to July 12, 2021 who underwent real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 from respiratory swabs. Demographics, symptoms, and contacts were captured from medical records. Household contact was defined as an individual with confirmed COVID-19 living in the same residence as the child.

RESULTS:

Among 56 children with SARS-CoV-2, twenty-five (45%) were male with mean age of 7.9 years. Symptoms were nonspecific, with 29% having fever, 32% having cough, and 48% were asymptomatic. The median cycle threshold (Ct) value of SARS-CoV-2 rRT-PCR was 25 (range 11-38). All 56 children reported 94 contacts with a COVID-19 patient, of which 99% were household contacts. The relative risk of infection was 8.5 (95% CI 5.0-14.7) for children whose parent(s) were COVID-19 patients, and 7.3 (95% CI 4.9-11.0) for children whose household grandparent(s) were patients, as compared to children without respective contacts. Children without COVID-19 contacts were all tested negative.

CONCLUSIONS:

During school closures in Taipei and New Taipei City, children with SARS-CoV-2 infection in our cohort had one or more COVID-19 contacts, mostly within their households. While diagnosing pediatric COVID-19 is challenging as children were often asymptomatic, those without contacts were likely uninfected.
Keywords

Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Type of study: Cohort study / Observational study / Prognostic study Language: English Journal subject: Allergy and Immunology / Microbiology Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: J.jmii.2021.12.004

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Type of study: Cohort study / Observational study / Prognostic study Language: English Journal subject: Allergy and Immunology / Microbiology Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: J.jmii.2021.12.004