Dynamic Viral Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 RNA Shedding in Children: Preliminary Data and Clinical Consideration from a Italian Regional Center

Maria A De Ioris; Alessia Scarselli; Marta L Ciofi Degli Atti; Lucilla Ravà; Andrea Smarrazzo; Carlo Concato; Lorenza Romani; Raffaella Scrocca; Caterina Geremia; Michaela Carletti; Francesca I Calò Carducci; Stefania Bernardi; Luana Coltella; Veronica Santilli; Sara Chiurchiu; Emanuela Peschiaroli; Rosanna Mariani; Caterina Marabotto; Daniela Perrotta; Alberto Villani; Paolo Rossi; Patrizia D'Argenio; Andrea Campana; Massimiliano Raponi

doi:10.1093/jpids/piaa065

Dynamic Viral Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 RNA Shedding in Children: Preliminary Data and Clinical Consideration from a Italian Regional Center

J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. 2020 Jul 13;9(3):366-369. doi: 10.1093/jpids/piaa065.

Authors

Maria A De Ioris¹, Alessia Scarselli¹, Marta L Ciofi Degli Atti², Lucilla Ravà², Andrea Smarrazzo¹, Carlo Concato³, Lorenza Romani¹, Raffaella Scrocca¹, Caterina Geremia¹, Michaela Carletti³, Francesca I Calò Carducci¹, Stefania Bernardi¹, Luana Coltella³, Veronica Santilli¹, Sara Chiurchiu¹, Emanuela Peschiaroli¹, Rosanna Mariani¹, Caterina Marabotto¹, Daniela Perrotta⁴, Alberto Villani¹, Paolo Rossi¹, Patrizia D'Argenio¹, Andrea Campana¹, Massimiliano Raponi²

Affiliations

¹ Pediatric Academic Department, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Rome, Italy.
² Medical Direction, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Rome, Italy.
³ Laboratory Department, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Rome, Italy.
⁴ Anesthesiology and Pediatric Intensive Care, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Rome, Italy.

Abstract

We evaluated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA clearance in 22 children. The estimation of positivity at day 14 was 52% for nasopharyngeal swab and 31% for stool samples. These data underline the significance of nasopharyngeal and stoolsample for detecting infected children. Additional studies are needed for transmissibility.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; children; coronavirus; viral RNA shedding.

© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

MeSH terms

Betacoronavirus*
COVID-19
Child
Child, Preschool
Coronavirus Infections / transmission
Coronavirus Infections / virology*
Feces / virology
Female
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Italy / epidemiology
Male
Nasopharynx / virology
Pandemics
Pneumonia, Viral / transmission
Pneumonia, Viral / virology*
RNA, Viral / metabolism
SARS-CoV-2
Time Factors
Virus Shedding*

Substances

RNA, Viral