SARS-CoV-2 in Nasopharynx of Symptomatic Neonates, Children, and Adolescents
SARS-CoV-2 in Nasopharynx of Symptomatic Neonates, Children, and Adolescents. Jefferson T, Spencer EA, Heneghan C.
https://www.cebm.net/study/sars-cov-2-in-nasopharynx-of-symptomatic-neonates-children-and-adolescents/
Published on September 1, 2020
Included in
Transmission Dynamics of COVID-19
Reference |
L’Huillier A, Torriani G, Pigny F, Kaiser L, Eckerle I. Culture-Competent SARS-CoV-2 in Nasopharynx of Symptomatic Neonates, Children, and Adolescents. Emerging Infectious Disease journal. 2020;26(10) 2020 |
Study type |
|
Country |
Switzerland |
Setting |
Hospital |
Funding Details |
Non reported |
Transmission mode |
Respiratory, Viral Load |
Exposures |
|
Bottom Line
Half of the under 16s who were positive for SARS CoV-2 shed live viruses indicating the possibility of contagiousness. However, numbers were very small (out of 628 samples 23 were positive and 12 were live shedders.
Evidence Summary
Of the 638 nasopharyngeal swab samples, 23 (3.6%) tested positive for SARS CoV-2 , 12 (52% of PCR positive) from symptom start 1 to 4 days were positive with a ct around 28.
Severity of symptoms was associated with likelihood of viral culture
Median viral load was higher for patients with isolation (1.7 × 108 copies/mL) than for those without isolation (6.9 × 103] copies/mL; p = 0.002) (see the Figure).
Culture-Competent SARS-CoV-2 in Nasopharynx of Symptomatic Neonates, Children, and Adolescents. Emerging Infectious Disease journal. 2020;26(10).
What did they do?
What did they do?
The study was carried out on 638 patients aged less than 16 years – median age of 12 years (range 7 days to 14.9 years) in a Geneva Hospital.
SARS-CoV-2 isolation was determined by presence of CPE and increased viral RNA in the supernatant (see the Table; and Appendix Figure).
Study reliability
The series is small and the criteria for selection for testing are unclear
Clearly defined setting |
Demographic characteristics described |
Follow-up length was sufficient |
Transmission outcomes assessed |
Main biases are taken into consideration |
Unclear |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes
|
Unclear |
What else should I consider?
This is an important case series given the dearth of evidence from this age group and requires replication.
About the authors
Carl Heneghan
Carl is Professor of EBM & Director of CEBM at the University of Oxford. He is also a GP and tweets @carlheneghan. He has an active interest in discovering the truth behind health research findings
Elizabeth Spencer
Dr Elizabeth Spencer; MMedSci, PhD. Epidemiologist, Nuffield Department for Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford.
Tom Jefferson
Tom Jefferson, epidemiologist.