Reduced Seasonal Coronavirus Antibody Responses in Children Following COVID-19 Mitigation Measures, The Netherlands

• Published in: Viruses Vol. 15; no. 1; p. 212
• Main Authors: Sikkema, Reina S., Bruin, Erwin de, Ramakers, Christian, Bentvelsen, Robbert, Li, Wentao, Bosch, Berend-Jan, Westerhuis, Brenda, Haagmans, Bart, Koopmans, Marion P. G., Fraaij, Pieter L. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 12.01.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Age groups; Antibodies; Antibodies, Viral; Antibody Formation; Antigens; Brief Report; Child; Children; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 infection; Epidemics; hospitals; Humans; immunity; Infections; Netherlands; Netherlands - epidemiology; pandemic; Pandemics; Pathogens; Plasma; Proteins; Respiratory diseases; SARS-CoV-2; seasonal coronavirus; Seasons; Seroepidemiologic Studies; serological surveys; Serology; seroprevalence; serosurvey; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Teenagers; Viruses; Netherlands; United States > US; COVID-19; antibodies; seasonal coronavirus; serosurvey; children
• ISSN: 1999-4915; 1999-4915
• DOI: 10.3390/v15010212

SARS-CoV-2 prevention and control measures did not only impact SARS-CoV-2 circulation, but also the timing and prevalence of other seasonal respiratory viruses. Especially in children, information on exposure and infections to seasonal coronaviruses as well as SARS-CoV-2 in the first year of the pandemic is largely lacking. Therefore, we set up a one-year serological survey in a large tertiary hospital in the Netherlands. We show that seasonal coronavirus seroprevalence significantly decreased in 2021 in children less than one year, most likely due to COVID-19 control measures. The SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in children and adolescents increased from 0.4% to 11.3%, the highest in adolescents. This implies higher exposure rates in adolescents as compared to the general population (>18 years old). It is clear that there have been significant changes in the circulation and subsequent immunity against most respiratory pathogens as a result of the mitigation measures. The implications on shorter as well as longer term are still largely unknown, but the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and subsequent control measures will continue to affect the dynamics of other pathogens.