Longitudinal Changes on Clinical Features in 28 Children With COVID-19 in Shenzhen, China

• Published in: Frontiers in medicine Vol. 7; p. 579406
• Main Authors: Liao, Xuejiao, Liu, Jiaye, He, Ziyi, Hu, Ming, Xiao, Tongyang, Wei, Lanlan, Cai, Qiue, Wang, Haiyan, He, Qing, Liu, Lei, Zhang, Zheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A 04.11.2020
• Subjects: antibody; clinical features; coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Medicine; pediatric; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
• ISSN: 2296-858X; 2296-858X
• DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2020.579406

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics of children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and identify the occurrence of viral shedding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) during follow-up. Methods: We retrospectively retrieved data from pediatric patients with COVID-19 from the Shenzhen Third People's Hospital in China. The dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 and antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were analyzed during hospitalization and after discharge. Results: From January 23 to March 15, 2020, a total of 28 pediatric patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 and were followed for at least 1 month. The median age was 7 years (IQR 3.5-10) and none of the children progressed to severe COVID-19 during hospitalization. Ten patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 1 month after discharge while four patients tested positive during the 2nd month after discharge. Only three of 12 children showed detectable immunoglobulin-M (IgM) on day 5, 18, and 21 after illness onset, respectively. Conclusions: COVID-19 disease was relatively mild among children while a number did test positive after discharge from the hospital. Public health initiatives should thus adapt control measures targeted toward children.Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics of children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and identify the occurrence of viral shedding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) during follow-up. Methods: We retrospectively retrieved data from pediatric patients with COVID-19 from the Shenzhen Third People's Hospital in China. The dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 and antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were analyzed during hospitalization and after discharge. Results: From January 23 to March 15, 2020, a total of 28 pediatric patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 and were followed for at least 1 month. The median age was 7 years (IQR 3.5-10) and none of the children progressed to severe COVID-19 during hospitalization. Ten patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 1 month after discharge while four patients tested positive during the 2nd month after discharge. Only three of 12 children showed detectable immunoglobulin-M (IgM) on day 5, 18, and 21 after illness onset, respectively. Conclusions: COVID-19 disease was relatively mild among children while a number did test positive after discharge from the hospital. Public health initiatives should thus adapt control measures targeted toward children.