Objective: The aim: To investigate the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 in children for the period 2020-2022.
Patients and methods: Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis of 1144 case histories of children who were hospitalized at the St. Zinaida Children's Clinical Hospital (Sumy, Ukraine) for coronavirus disease for 2020-2022 was carried out. The observed patients were divided into 3 groups corresponding to the 3 waves of the pandemic: group 1 - 120 children, group 2 - 311 children, and group 3 - 713. The diagnosis of COVID-19 was established based on clinical, medical histories, laboratory and instrumental data. The etiology of coronavirus disease was determined based on the detection of antigens of the SARS-CoV-2 virus using PCR reverse transcription of a nasopharyngeal swab.
Results: Results: An analysis of the clinical and epidemiological indicators of children who were treated for COVID-19 during 2020-2022 was conducted, depending on the outbreak of the pandemic. The frequency of lesions in children of different age groups was determined, and the main clinical symptoms and the frequency of complications in the form of pneumonia during different waves of COVID-19 were determined.
Conclusion: Conclusions: The incidence of coronavirus infection was mainly observed in children of the younger group (0-5 years). A more severe course of the disease and a higher frequency of complications in the form of pneumonia in children were determined during the 3rd wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; children; coronavirus infection; pneumonia.