Most publications on pediatric COVID-19 in Spain were performed at the beginning of the pandemic when some diagnostic tools were not widely available. This study aims to show the real spectrum of the infection based on wide detection of cases due to symptoms and contact tracing. A descriptive and analytical observational study was performed including pediatric cases (0 to 14 years) from the region of Aragón between May 12 and October 31, 2020. Diagnostics was by PCR detection of viral RNA, rapid antigen detection test, or positive IgG serology. There were 5933 positive children included. Of them, 49.03% were women. The mean age was 7.53 ± 4.28 years. The source of infection could not be determined in 17.8% of cases. As for the rest, was determined to be within the family environment in 67.8%. The percentage of asymptomatic patients was 50.3%. Among symptomatic patients, fever (58.1%) and cough (46.7%) were the most frequent symptoms. Hospitalization was required in 0.52% of infected, intensive care unit admission was on 0.05%, and there was one death (0.02%). Children under the age of one presented some symptoms more frequently (71.6% vs 48.5%; OR 2.68; 95% CI 2.08 to 3.45;
p
< 0.001) and required more hospitalizations (3.9% vs 0.34%; OR 11.52; 95% CI 5.65 to 23.52;
p
< 0.001).
Conclusion
: In our environment, SARS-CoV-2 infection is like other mild respiratory viral infections in the population under the age of 15. The contagion occurs mainly in the family environment, the number of asymptomatic is high, being the symptoms mild and the complications very infrequent.
What is Known:
• Pediatric infection produced by SARS-CoV-2 has manifested as a mild disease in relation to adult age, although with higher affectation at the youngest ages.
• Nearly all studies on epidemiology and clinical spectrum of the disease were conducted with patients diagnosed at the beginning of the pandemic. By then, diagnostic tools were only available in hospitals and in emergency units.
What is New:
• Once diagnostic means were available in primary care medicine and were used not only for the diagnosis of clinical symptoms of the patient, but for the tracing of case contacts, a much more precise approach to the epidemiology and clinical manifestations of the disease was allowed, as described in this study.
Objective
To assess the prevalence and risk factors for
S. aureus
and methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
(MRSA) nasal colonization in Spanish children.
Methods
Cross-sectional study of patients <14 years from primary care centers all over Spain. Clinical data and nasal aspirates were collected from March to July 2018.
Results
A total of 1876 patients were enrolled. Prevalence of
S. aureus
and MRSA colonization were 33% (95% CI 30.9–35.1) and 1.44% (95% CI 0.9–2), respectively. Thirty-three percent of the children (633/1876) presented chronic conditions, mainly atopic dermatitis, asthma and/or allergy (524/633). Factors associated with
S. aureus
colonization were age ≥5 years (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.07–1.12), male sex (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.17–1.76), urban setting (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.08–1.97) and the presence of asthma, atopic dermatitis or allergies (OR 1.25; 95% CI: 1.093–1.43). Rural residence was the only factor associated with MRSA colonization (OR 3.62, 95% CI 1.57–8.36). MRSA was more frequently resistant than methicillin-susceptible
S. aureus
to ciprofloxacin [41.2% vs 2.6%; p<0.0001], clindamycin [26% vs 16.9%; p=0.39], and mupirocin [14.3% vs 6.7%; p=0.18]. None of the MRSA strains was resistant to tetracycline, fosfomycin, vancomycin or daptomycin.
Conclusions
The main risk factors for
S. aureus
colonization in Spanish children are being above five years of age, male gender, atopic dermatitis, asthma or allergy, and residence in urban areas. MRSA colonization is low, but higher than in other European countries and is associated with rural settings.
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