COVID-19 in Children, Pregnancy and Neonates: A Review of Epidemiologic and Clinical Features

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has spread rapidly across the globe. In contrast to initial reports, recent studies suggest that children are just as likely as adults to become infected with the virus but have fewer symptoms and less severe disease. In this review, we summarize the epidemiologic and clinical features of children infected with SARS-CoV-2 reported in pediatric case series to date. We also summarize the perinatal outcomes of neonates born to women infected with SARS-CoV-2 in pregnancy. We found 11 case series including a total of 333 infants and children. Overall, 83% of the children had a positive contact history, mostly with family members. The incubation period varied between 2 and 25 days with a mean of 7 days. The virus could be isolated from nasopharyngeal secretions for up to 22 days and from stool for more than 30 days. Co-infections were reported in up to 79% of children (mainly mycoplasma and influenza). Up to 35% of children were asymptomatic. The most common symptoms were cough (48%; range 19%–100%), fever (42%; 11%–100%) and pharyngitis (30%; 11%–100%). Further symptoms were nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, tachypnoea, wheezing, diarrhea, vomiting, headache and fatigue. Laboratory test parameters were only minimally altered. Radiologic findings were unspecific and included unilateral or bilateral infiltrates with, in some cases, ground-glass opacities or consolidation with a surrounding halo sign. C...
Source: The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal - Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Special Article Source Type: research