1. Virologic Features of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection in Children.
- Author
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Yonker LM, Boucau J, Regan J, Choudhary MC, Burns MD, Young N, Farkas EJ, Davis JP, Moschovis PP, Bernard Kinane T, Fasano A, Neilan AM, Li JZ, and Barczak AK
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Child, Child, Preschool, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Pandemics, SARS-CoV-2 genetics, Young Adult, COVID-19 diagnosis, COVID-19 pathology, Viral Load
- Abstract
Background: Data on pediatric coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has lagged behind adults throughout the pandemic. An understanding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral dynamics in children would enable data-driven public health guidance., Methods: Respiratory swabs were collected from children with COVID-19. Viral load was quantified by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR); viral culture was assessed by direct observation of cytopathic effects and semiquantitative viral titers. Correlations with age, symptom duration, and disease severity were analyzed. SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequences were compared with contemporaneous sequences., Results: One hundred ten children with COVID-19 (median age, 10 years [range, 2 weeks-21 years]) were included in this study. Age did not impact SARS-CoV-2 viral load. Children were most infectious within the first 5 days of illness, and severe disease did not correlate with increased viral loads. Pediatric SARS-CoV-2 sequences were representative of those in the community and novel variants were identified., Conclusions: Symptomatic and asymptomatic children can carry high quantities of live, replicating SARS-CoV-2, creating a potential reservoir for transmission and evolution of genetic variants. As guidance around social distancing and masking evolves following vaccine uptake in older populations, a clear understanding of SARS-CoV-2 infection dynamics in children is critical for rational development of public health policies and vaccination strategies to mitigate the impact of COVID-19., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)
- Published
- 2021
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