Trends in SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence amongst urban paediatric patients compared with a nationwide cohort in the Netherlands

Objectives: The extent of SARS-CoV-2 infection amongst children and their role in transmission remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence amongst children who presented to our hospital for non-COVID-19-related morbidity during the first and second epidemic wave in 2020 and compared these to the general Dutch paediatric population. Methods: We collected residual plasma samples from all paediatric patients (1 month-17 years of age) visiting our clinic or emergency room, who had blood drawing for various medical reasons. Samples were analysed for the p... Mehr ...

Verfasser: I.L.M. Rotee
D.S.Y. Ong
J.G.M. Koeleman
E.R.A. Vos
G.A. Tramper-Stranders
Dokumenttyp: Artikel
Erscheinungsdatum: 2021
Reihe/Periodikum: Journal of Clinical Virology Plus, Vol 1, Iss 4, Pp 100045- (2021)
Verlag/Hrsg.: Elsevier
Schlagwörter: COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Serology / General paediatric patients / population study / Infectious and parasitic diseases / RC109-216
Sprache: Englisch
Permalink: https://search.fid-benelux.de/Record/base-28758550
Datenquelle: BASE; Originalkatalog
Powered By: BASE
Link(s) : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcvp.2021.100045

Objectives: The extent of SARS-CoV-2 infection amongst children and their role in transmission remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence amongst children who presented to our hospital for non-COVID-19-related morbidity during the first and second epidemic wave in 2020 and compared these to the general Dutch paediatric population. Methods: We collected residual plasma samples from all paediatric patients (1 month-17 years of age) visiting our clinic or emergency room, who had blood drawing for various medical reasons. Samples were analysed for the presence of total antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 by Wantai ELISA. The seroprevalence in two separate periods (July-Sep 2020, and Oct-Dec 2020) was compared to regional and national data (PIENTER-Corona study, September 2020), and associations with co-morbidities were assessed. Results: A total of 209 samples in period 1 and 240 samples in period 2 were collected (median age 7.1 years, IQR 1.5–13.5). SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were detected in 4.1% and 13.8%, respectively (p< 0.001). Seroprevalence was higher compared to national paediatric data, but did not differ with regional estimates. Most children with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were seen in the outpatient clinic for general paediatric problems with no differences in medical reasons for presentation between the two periods. Conclusions: These data confirm a rapid three-fold increase in SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in paediatric patients in the second half of 2020 with a trend towards a higher seroprevalence compared to randomly-selected children in a nationwide study. Underlying morbidity in children might not play an important role in acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection.