From SARS to COVID-19: What we have learned about children infected with COVID-19

Meng-Yao Zhou; Xiao-Li Xie; Yong-Gang Peng; Meng-Jun Wu; Xiao-Zhi Deng; Ying Wu; Li-Jing Xiong; Li-Hong Shang

doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2020.04.090

From SARS to COVID-19: What we have learned about children infected with COVID-19

Int J Infect Dis. 2020 Jul:96:710-714. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.04.090. Epub 2020 May 7.

Authors

Meng-Yao Zhou¹, Xiao-Li Xie², Yong-Gang Peng³, Meng-Jun Wu⁴, Xiao-Zhi Deng¹, Ying Wu⁵, Li-Jing Xiong¹, Li-Hong Shang¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatric Infection and Gastroenterology, Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China.
² Department of Pediatric Infection and Gastroenterology, Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China. Electronic address: xxlilye@qq.com.
³ Department of Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Fl, USA.
⁴ Department of Anesthesiology, Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China.
⁵ Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China.

Abstract

Introduction: Coronaviruses, both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, first appeared in China. They have certain biological, epidemiological and pathological similarities. To date, research has shown that their genes exhibit 79% of identical sequences and the receptor-binding domain structure is also very similar. There has been extensive research performed on SARS; however, the understanding of the pathophysiological impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still limited.

Methods: This review drew upon the lessons learnt from SARS, in terms of epidemiology, clinical characteristics and pathogenesis, to further understand the features of COVID-19.

Results: By comparing these two diseases, it found that COVID-19 has quicker and wider transmission, obvious family agglomeration, and higher morbidity and mortality. Newborns, asymptomatic children and normal chest imaging cases emerged in COVID-19 literature. Children starting with gastrointestinal symptoms may progress to severe conditions and newborns whose mothers are infected with COVID-19 could have severe complications. The laboratory test data showed that the percentage of neutrophils and the level of LDH is higher, and the number of CD4+ and CD8+T-cells is decreased in children's COVID-19 cases.

Conclusion: Based on these early observations, as pediatricians, this review put forward some thoughts on children's COVID-19 and gave some recommendations to contain the disease.

Keywords: 2019-nCoV; COVID-19; Children; Coronavirus; SARS; SARS-CoV-2.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Review

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Betacoronavirus / pathogenicity
COVID-19
Child
Child, Preschool
Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis*
Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology
Coronavirus Infections / physiopathology
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Pandemics
Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis*
Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology
Pneumonia, Viral / physiopathology
SARS-CoV-2
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / diagnosis*
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / epidemiology
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / physiopathology
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / pathogenicity