Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Infections in Israeli Children During the Circulation of Different SARS-CoV-2 Variants

Somekh, Ido; Stein, Michal; Karakis, Isabella; Simões, Eric A F; Somekh, Eli

doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.24343

Cited by 19 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Regarding neonates, SARS-CoV-2 infection seems to be mainly transmitted from mothers, even if vertical transmission is still unclear [ 10 , 11 ]. Family clusters might be the main source of infection for children [ 12 ], while educational settings increase the circulation of the virus among adolescents [ 13 ]. In addition to adults, children are a reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 transmission, even if they are asymptomatic or affected by mild illness, thereby promoting the evolution of the virus [ 14 , 15 , 16 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To date, few studies have examined the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) and variants of interest (VOIs) in the pediatric population. In Israel, when the alpha variant circulated from December 2020 to February 2021, the virus transmission rate increased among children under 10 years of age [ 13 ]. In contrast, in a study conducted by Howard-Jones, the SARS-CoV-2 Delta strain was shown to have a lower level of transmission among children than among adults [ 17 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Circulation of SARS-CoV-2 Variants among Children from November 2020 to January 2022 in Trieste (Italy)

et al. 2022

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Introduction: The ongoing coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) outbreak involves the pediatric population, but to date, few reports have investigated the circulation of variants among children. Material and Methods: In this retrospective study, non-hospitalized pediatric patients with SARS-CoV-2-positive nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) were enrolled at the Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste (Italy), from November 2020 to January 2022. SARS-CoV-2 variants were identified by in vitro viral isolation, amplification, automatic sequencing of the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike coding gene, and subsequent next-generation sequencing. The growth curves of the isolated strains were defined in vitro by infecting Vero-E6 cells and quantifying the viral load in the supernatants up to 72 h post-infection by qRT–PCR. The neutralization activity of sera obtained from a COVID-19 vaccinated subject, recovered (2020) patient, vaccinated and recovered (2021) patient, and seronegative subject was assessed by microneutralization assay against the different variants. Results: In total, 32 SARS-CoV-2-positive children, 16 (50%) females, with a median age of 1.4 years (range: 1 day–13 years), were enrolled. The D614G amino acid substitution was detected in all isolated and amplified viral strains. Of the 32 isolates, 4 (12.5%) carried a nonsynonymous nucleotide mutation leading to the N439K (3/4), lineage B.1.258 (∆H69/∆V70), and S477N (1/4) substitution. In 7/32 (21.8%) isolates, amino acid substitutions allowed the identification of a delta variant, lineage B.1.617.2-AY.43, and in 1/32 (3.1%), the Omicron strain (B.1.1.529.BA1) was identified. The growth curves of the B.1, B.1.258 (∆H69/∆V70), B.1.617.2-AY.43, and B.1.1.529.BA1 variants did not show any significant differences. A reduction in the serum neutralizing activity against B.1.258 (∆H69/∆V70) only in a vaccinated subject (1.7-fold difference), against B.1.617.2-AY.43 in a vaccinated subject and in recovered patients (12.7 and ≥2.5-fold differences, respectively), and against B.1.1.529.BA1 variant (57.6- and 1.4-fold differences in vaccinated and in vaccinated and recovered patients) were observed compared to the B.1 variant. Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 variants carrying the B.1.258 (∆H69/∆V70) and S477N substitutions were reported here in a pediatric population for the first time. Although the growth rates of the isolated strains (B.1.258, B.1.617.2-AY.43, B.1.1.529.BA1) did not differ from the B.1 variant, neutralizing activity of the sera from vaccinated subjects significantly decreased against these variants. Attention should be devoted to the pediatric population to prevent the spread of new SARS-CoV-2 variants in an unvaccinated and predominantly naive population.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Circulation of SARS-CoV-2 Variants among Children from November 2020 to January 2022 in Trieste (Italy)

et al. 2022

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“…These groups may also be more likely to have long-lasting postacute sequelae, often referred to as long COVID, although still less likely than adults. 8 , 9 However, most of the literature regarding the burden of SARS-CoV-2 in children comes from hospital-based studies, 4 , 6 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 which underestimate the disease burden in children, particularly those with mild infections. The pediatric community-level evidence that does exist is largely from high-income countries and includes few children younger than 5 years.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association of SARS-CoV-2 Seropositivity and Symptomatic Reinfection in Children in Nicaragua

Kubale

Balmaseda²,

Frutos

et al. 2022

JAMA Netw Open

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IMPORTANCEThe impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on children remains unclear. Better understanding of the burden of COVID-19 among children and their risk of reinfection is crucial, as they will be among the last groups vaccinated. OBJECTIVETo characterize the burden of COVID-19 and assess how risk of symptomatic reinfection may vary by age among children. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In this prospective, community-based pediatric cohort study conducted from March 1, 2020, to October 15, 2021, 1964 nonimmunocompromised children aged 0 to 14 years were enrolled by random selection from the Nicaraguan Pediatric Influenza Cohort, a community-based cohort in District 2 of Managua, Nicaragua. Additional newborn infants aged 4 weeks or younger were randomly selected and enrolled monthly via home visits. EXPOSURES Prior COVID-19 infection as confirmed by positive anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (receptor binding domain and spike protein) or real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-confirmed COVID-19 infection at least 60 days before current COVID-19 infection. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Symptomatic COVID-19 cases confirmed by real-time RT-PCR and hospitalization within 28 days of symptom onset of a confirmed COVID-19 case. RESULTS This cohort study assessed 1964 children (mean [SD] age, 6.9 [4.4] years; 985 [50.2%]male). Of 1824 children who were tested, 908 (49.8%; 95% CI, 47.5%-52.1%) were seropositive during the study. There were also 207 PCR-confirmed COVID-19 cases, 12 (5.8%) of which were severe enough to require hospitalization. Incidence of COVID-19 was highest among children younger than 2 years (16.1 cases per 100 person-years; 95% CI, 12.5-20.5 cases per 100 person-years), which was approximately 3 times the incidence rate in any other child age group assessed. In addition, 41 symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 episodes (19.8%; 95% CI, 14.4%-25.2%) were reinfections. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCEIn this prospective, community-based pediatric cohort study, rates of symptomatic and severe COVID-19 were highest among the youngest participants, with rates stabilizing at approximately 5 years of age. In addition, symptomatic reinfections represented a large proportion of symptomatic COVID-19 cases.

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“…To illustrate this point for children, Israeli scientists compared epidemiological and clinical data for 27 000 PCR positive 0‐ to 9‐year‐old children between December 2020 and January 2021 with those from 51 000 children who became PCR positive between August and September 2021 when the alpha variant became dominant. The weekly incidence rate in children doubled between the two waves while the hospitalization rate decreased from 1% to 0.5% (Somekh et al ., 2021 ). Due to these opposing trends, the percentage of hospitalized children with severe disease forms remained with about 7% constant, hiding phenotypic differences of two virus variants with respect to transmission and pathogenicity for children.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID‐19 and children: medical impact and collateral damage

Brüssow

2022

Microbial Biotechnology

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Summary Children mostly experience mild SARS‐CoV‐2 infections, but the extent of paediatric COVID‐19 disease differs between geographical regions and the distinct pandemic waves. Not all infections in children are mild, some children even show a strong inflammatory reaction resulting in a multisystem inflammatory syndrome. The assessments of paediatric vaccination depend on the efficacy of protection conferred by vaccination, the risk of adverse reactions and whether children contribute to herd immunity against COVID‐19. Children were also the target of consequential public health actions such as school closure which caused substantial harm to children (educational deficits, sociopsychological problems) and working parents. It is, therefore, important to understand the transmission dynamics of SARS‐CoV‐2 infections by children to assess the efficacy of school closures and paediatric vaccination. The societal restrictions to contain the COVID‐19 pandemic had additional negative effects on children’s health, such as missed routine vaccinations, nutritional deprivation and lesser mother–child medical care in developing countries causing increased child mortality as a collateral damage. In this complex epidemiological context, it is important to have an evidence‐based approach to public health approaches. The present review summaries pertinent published data on the role of children in the pandemic, whether they are drivers or followers of the infection chains and whether they are (after elderlies) major sufferers or mere bystanders of the COVID‐19 pandemic.

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Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Infections in Israeli Children During the Circulation of Different SARS-CoV-2 Variants

Cited by 19 publications

References 5 publications

Circulation of SARS-CoV-2 Variants among Children from November 2020 to January 2022 in Trieste (Italy)

Circulation of SARS-CoV-2 Variants among Children from November 2020 to January 2022 in Trieste (Italy)

Association of SARS-CoV-2 Seropositivity and Symptomatic Reinfection in Children in Nicaragua

COVID‐19 and children: medical impact and collateral damage

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