OVID-19 and children

A.L. Zaplatnikov, V.I. Svintsitskaya

Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education, Moscow

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization announced that the COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) outbreak can be characterized as a pandemic. This paper reviews epidemiological and clinical laboratory features of novel coronavirus infection in children. It was demonstrated that children generally present with mild symptoms. Most children are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic. Laboratory tests demonstrate that severe lymphopenia is very rare in children. In addition, children have better COVID-19 outcomes. Clinical laboratory specifics of COVID-19 in children is probably accounted for by a number of factors including age-related characteristics of immune response (in particular, innate immunity), more healthy respiratory system (since children do not suffer exposure to smoke or respiratory infections), and age-related specifics of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 functioning (which is employed by coronavirus as a receptor for cellular entry). The authors highlight that these are children being asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic  who are important in COVID-19 transmission to prolong pandemic.

Keywords: children, novel coronavirus infection, infants, pandemic, COVID-19.

For citation: Zaplatnikov A.L., Svintsitskaya V.I. COVID-19 and children. RMJ. 2020;6:20–22.