COVID-19 screening in a Portuguese pediatric population

Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin (Engl Ed). 2020 Oct 1;40(1):28-31. doi: 10.1016/j.eimc.2020.09.004. Online ahead of print.
[Article in English, Spanish]

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Objective: To assess the characteristics of suspected coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) and the rate of confirmed COVID-19 in a pediatric population at the beginning of the pandemic in Portugal.

Study design: Suspected COVID-19 pediatric cases that were tested in a Portuguese hospital between March 17 and April 2 2020 were included in this descriptive retrospective study. The analyzed data included socio-demographic parameters, characteristics of the household, underlying medical conditions and symptoms.

Results: Ninety-four patients were included and all of them were symptomatic and treated without hospitalization. The most common symptoms were cough (80%;n=75), rhinorrhea (72%;n=68) and fever (60%;n=56). There was only one positive for SARS-CoV-2 in a five-year-old child with mild illness without epidemiologic linkage.

Conclusion: This study showed a low rate of confirmed COVID-19 in children. The causes for this low rate can be multifactorial and illustrates how differently this virus spreads in the pediatric population.

Objetivo: Evaluar las características en casos sospechosos y la tasa de casos confirmados de enfermedad por coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) en una población pediátrica al inicio de la pandemia en Portugal.

Métodos: En este estudio descriptivo-retrospectivo se incluyeron casos pediátricos sospechosos de COVID-19 que se testearon en un hospital portugués entre el 17 de marzo y el 2 de abril de 2020. Los datos fueron analizados bajo parámetros sociodemográficos, características del hogar, condiciones médicas subyacentes y síntomas.

Resultados: Se incluyeron 94 pacientes, todos sintomáticos y tratados sin hospitalización. Los síntomas más frecuentes fueron tos (80%; n = 75), rinorrea (72%; n = 68) y fiebre (60%; n = 56). Solo hubo un caso positivo para SARS-CoV-2, un niño de 5 años con una enfermedad leve, sin vínculo epidemiológico.

Conclusión: Este estudio mostró una baja tasa de casos confirmados de COVID-19 en niños. Las causas de esta baja tasa pueden ser multifactoriales e ilustran cuán diferente se propaga este virus en la población pediátrica.

Keywords: COVID-19 RT-PCR test; COVID-19 test RT-PCR; Children; Niños; Pandemia; Pandemic; SARS-CoV-2.