We found a match
Your institution may have rights to this item. Sign in to continue.
- Title
SARS-CoV-2 reinfections in the pediatric cohort—a single-center experience.
- Authors
Arslan, Asli; Bal, Zumrut Sahbudak; Erci, Ece; Arslan, Sema Yıldırım; Bilen, Nimet Melis; Avcu, Gülhadiye; Çiçek, Candan; Ozkinay, Ferda; Kurugol, Zafer
- Abstract
Background This study focused on timelines of infection episodes and dominant variants and aims to determine disease severity and outcome of pediatric patients with reinfection. Materials and Methods This study retrospectively evaluated the medical records of the hospitalized patients and/or outpatients aged 0–18 with a positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase chain reaction between March 2020 and September 2022 at Ege University Children's Hospital. Results Ninety-one pediatric patients reinfected with SARS-CoV-2 were included in the study. There was an underlying disease in 26.4% of the patients. The median time between the two infection episodes was 184 (90–662) days. There were 24 patients (26.3%) with the first infection in pre-Delta period; 17 (18.6%) of them were reinfected in Omicron BA.1 period, while 7 (7.6%) in Omicron BA.4/BA.5 period. Forty-five patients (49.4%) were infected initially in the Delta period; 35 patients (38.4%) were reinfected in the Omicron BA.1 period, while 10 patients (10.9%) were reinfected in the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 period. Twenty-two patients (24.1%) had the first infection in the Omicron BA.1 period and then reinfected in the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 period. Patients with reinfection more frequently displayed a symptom (84.6% vs. 94.5%, p = 0.03). The hospitalization rate significantly declined in reinfection (15.3% vs. 7.6%, p = 0.03). Severe disease, treatment needs and steroid use were decreased in reinfections without a significant difference (p > 0.05). Intensive care unit admission was not altered. Conclusion This study revealed that reinfections frequently develop in previously healthy children but do not cause more severe outcomes. The risk of symptomatic reinfections is still high due to the effect of the Omicron variant.
- Subjects
SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant; REINFECTION
- Publication
Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, 2024, Vol 70, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
0142-6338
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/tropej/fmad049