[Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infection in children imported from Hong Kong]

Receipt of COVID-19 vaccine in preterm-born children aged 3-7 in China

Objectives

To determine the COVID-19 vaccination rate in preterm-born children aged 3-7 in China and influential factors, identify vaccination-related adverse reactions, and clarify reasons behind parental refusal of vaccination to their children.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted in parents of preterm-born children aged 3-7 in different regions of China through WeChat.

Results

Of 1,924 Chinese preterm-born children aged 3-7 included in this study, 1,552 (80.7%) had been vaccinated against COVID-19, with a higher vaccination rate in eastern China. Children older than 4 years, kids in kindergartens and primary schools, children living in eastern or western China, and children whose fathers had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine tended to be vaccinated against COVID-19 after adjusting for other covariates. Conversely, children living in urban areas, children whose annual family income was < 50,000 CNY or more than 300,000 CNY, premature children who underwent hospital transfers, and children with underlying diseases were less likely to get vaccinated. Adverse reactions occurred in 59/1,552 (3.8%) vaccinated children. Parents of 118/372 (31.7%) children expressed their concerns over adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccination. Other reasons like the absence of information about the place where they could get vaccination were mentioned as well.

Conclusions

COVID-19 vaccination-related adverse reactions rarely occurred and most of them were mild among preterm-born children aged 3-7. Higher vaccination coverage can be achieved as parents are provided with more scientific data about benefits of vaccination, vaccination contraindications and precautions, and more information about vaccination sites.

SARS-CoV-2 BA.2 (Omicron) variant infection in pediatric liver transplanted recipients and cohabitants during 2022 Shanghai outbreak: a prospective cohort

BACKGROUND

The Omicron variant BA.2 was the dominant variant in the COVID-19 outbreak in Shanghai since March 2022. We aim to investigate the characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection in pediatric liver-transplanted recipients.

METHODS

We conducted a single-center, prospective, observational, single-arm study. We enrolled pediatric liver-transplanted patients infected with the Omicron variant BA.2 from March 19th to October 1st, 2022 and analyzed their demographic, clinical, laboratory, and outcome data. The management of COVID-19 was conducted according to the 9th trial edition of the Chinese guideline. The immunosuppressive therapy was tailored considering the patients' infection developments and liver functions.

RESULTS

Five children were included. The primary diseases included Niemann-Pick disease, propionic acidemia, decompensated cirrhosis, biliary atresia, and Crigler-Najjar syndrome type I. All of the patients were onset with fever before or when getting RNA-positive results at the age of 3 (Range: 1-13) years. The infection duration was 29 (Range: 18-40) days. Three and two children were diagnosed with mild and moderate COVID-19 respectively. Two patients were tested RNA-positive within 14 days after having been tested negative. The immunosuppressants were paused or extenuated in four patients. Eight of all nine cohabitants were injected with at least two doses of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. The disease courses were significantly longer than the patients (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Post-transplant immunosuppression slows down the virus clearance and increases the risk of relapse but does not affect symptom duration or infection severity in pediatric patients. Patients can usually gain a favorable outcome and prognosis by extenuating immunosuppressants.

Clinical characteristics of children with omicron SARS-CoV-2 infection in Changchun, China from march to april 2022: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Recently, there was an outbreak in China of the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant, the corresponding clinical characteristics of Chinese children with the Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection were then reviewed and summarized retrospectively.

METHODS

From March to April 2022, a total of 134 children infected with the Omicron variant were included in the study. Data such as sex, age, clinical symptoms, laboratory examinations, and imaging features were collected for further analyses.

RESULTS

Half of the children were male and the median age was 5.67 years. The most SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant was identified in mild (122, 91%), and the most three frequent symptoms were as cough (108, 80.6%), fever (75, 56%), and sore throat (38, 28.4%). Among age groups, no significant difference was observed in the distribution of symptoms, and no statistical difference was found in different clinical types among sex or age groups. Laboratory examinations revealed that white blood cells, neutrophils, and hemoglobin decreased; and monocytes, C-reactive protein (CRP), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) increased. Further analyses showed that neutrophils, hemoglobin, CRP, and AST exhibited significant differences among age groups. Radiological abnormalities were found in nine cases, with small patchy high-density shadows. Of the 76 cured cases discharged from the hospital, the median hospital stay was 13 days (mean, 12 days).

CONCLUSIONS

In China, most children with Omicron SARS-CoV-2 infection have mild presentation. The findings of this study may help other districts improve the management of children with Omicron SARS-CoV-2 infection in China.