Clinical Aspects of the Subsequent SARS-CoV-2 Waves in Children from 2020 to 2022—Data from a Local Cohort in Cologne, Germany (<i>n</i> = 21,635)
Almost two and a half years after the appearance of the first cases of SARS-CoV-2 in December 2019, more than 500 million people have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 and over 6 million have died of it worldwide. In terms of the pediatric cohort, it already became evident at an early stage that the inf...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/8/1607 |
| _version_ | 1797431637852553216 |
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| author | Meike Meyer Esra Ruebsteck Felix Dewald Florian Klein Clara Lehmann Christoph Huenseler Lutz Thorsten Weber |
| author_facet | Meike Meyer Esra Ruebsteck Felix Dewald Florian Klein Clara Lehmann Christoph Huenseler Lutz Thorsten Weber |
| author_sort | Meike Meyer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Almost two and a half years after the appearance of the first cases of SARS-CoV-2 in December 2019, more than 500 million people have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 and over 6 million have died of it worldwide. In terms of the pediatric cohort, it already became evident at an early stage that the infection causes milder symptoms in children and rarely runs a fatal course. Objective: This work presents data gathered over a period of over two years in patients between the age of 0 and 18 years. The aim is to provide information on the clinical aspects of the five different SARS-CoV-2 waves. Methods: Between 13 March 2020 and 22 April 2022, all nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) of children who received a swab for SARS-CoV-2 at our clinic were included. Data were collected on standardized questionnaires. The analysis of the data was anonymized and retrospective. Results: We investigated 21,635 NAATs, of which 1028 of the tests were positive (4.8%). The highest rate of positive results was observed in the fifth wave (541/2.292 NAATs (23.6%)). Most of the children who were hospitalized were hospitalized in wave three (22.9%). The availability of a vaccine was followed by a decrease in positive NAATs in the corresponding age group thereafter. Conclusions: These data underline the fact that children infected with SARS-CoV-2, regardless of which VOC, are often only mildly affected. Vaccinations seem to remain the key to avoid massive numbers of infected people and a potential collapse of the healthcare systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:48:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a67e713f8372454f891073318af70c95 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:48:04Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-a67e713f8372454f891073318af70c952023-12-02T00:26:03ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152022-07-01148160710.3390/v14081607Clinical Aspects of the Subsequent SARS-CoV-2 Waves in Children from 2020 to 2022—Data from a Local Cohort in Cologne, Germany (<i>n</i> = 21,635)Meike Meyer0Esra Ruebsteck1Felix Dewald2Florian Klein3Clara Lehmann4Christoph Huenseler5Lutz Thorsten Weber6Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, GermanyDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, GermanyInstitute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, GermanyInstitute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, GermanyDepartment I of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, GermanyDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, GermanyDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, GermanyAlmost two and a half years after the appearance of the first cases of SARS-CoV-2 in December 2019, more than 500 million people have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 and over 6 million have died of it worldwide. In terms of the pediatric cohort, it already became evident at an early stage that the infection causes milder symptoms in children and rarely runs a fatal course. Objective: This work presents data gathered over a period of over two years in patients between the age of 0 and 18 years. The aim is to provide information on the clinical aspects of the five different SARS-CoV-2 waves. Methods: Between 13 March 2020 and 22 April 2022, all nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) of children who received a swab for SARS-CoV-2 at our clinic were included. Data were collected on standardized questionnaires. The analysis of the data was anonymized and retrospective. Results: We investigated 21,635 NAATs, of which 1028 of the tests were positive (4.8%). The highest rate of positive results was observed in the fifth wave (541/2.292 NAATs (23.6%)). Most of the children who were hospitalized were hospitalized in wave three (22.9%). The availability of a vaccine was followed by a decrease in positive NAATs in the corresponding age group thereafter. Conclusions: These data underline the fact that children infected with SARS-CoV-2, regardless of which VOC, are often only mildly affected. Vaccinations seem to remain the key to avoid massive numbers of infected people and a potential collapse of the healthcare systems.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/8/1607GermanyCOVID-19childrenVOCs |
| spellingShingle | Meike Meyer Esra Ruebsteck Felix Dewald Florian Klein Clara Lehmann Christoph Huenseler Lutz Thorsten Weber Clinical Aspects of the Subsequent SARS-CoV-2 Waves in Children from 2020 to 2022—Data from a Local Cohort in Cologne, Germany (<i>n</i> = 21,635) Viruses Germany COVID-19 children VOCs |
| title | Clinical Aspects of the Subsequent SARS-CoV-2 Waves in Children from 2020 to 2022—Data from a Local Cohort in Cologne, Germany (<i>n</i> = 21,635) |
| title_full | Clinical Aspects of the Subsequent SARS-CoV-2 Waves in Children from 2020 to 2022—Data from a Local Cohort in Cologne, Germany (<i>n</i> = 21,635) |
| title_fullStr | Clinical Aspects of the Subsequent SARS-CoV-2 Waves in Children from 2020 to 2022—Data from a Local Cohort in Cologne, Germany (<i>n</i> = 21,635) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Clinical Aspects of the Subsequent SARS-CoV-2 Waves in Children from 2020 to 2022—Data from a Local Cohort in Cologne, Germany (<i>n</i> = 21,635) |
| title_short | Clinical Aspects of the Subsequent SARS-CoV-2 Waves in Children from 2020 to 2022—Data from a Local Cohort in Cologne, Germany (<i>n</i> = 21,635) |
| title_sort | clinical aspects of the subsequent sars cov 2 waves in children from 2020 to 2022 data from a local cohort in cologne germany i n i 21 635 |
| topic | Germany COVID-19 children VOCs |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/8/1607 |
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