Comparative analysis of clinical features of SARS-CoV-2 and adenovirus infection among children

Kuanrong Li,Jun Chen,Sitang Gong,Xianfeng Wang,Yi Xu,Huiying Liang,Liya He,Huimin Xia,Hui Li,Jianbo Shao,Ling Li,Lei Liu

doi:10.1186/s12985-020-01461-4

Abstract

BackgroundThe new emerging coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) overall shares similar symptoms with other common respiratory viral infections. We aimed in this study to compare COVID-19 and human adenovirus (HAdV) infections in pediatric patients regarding the frequencies of major clinical symptoms and the potential disparities in laboratory and imaging parameters.MethodsFollowing a case–control-like design, we built 72 age-matched pediatric COVID-19 and HAdV patient pairs. Their early symptoms and laboratory and imaging characteristics were then retrieved and compared.ResultsFever and cough were the most common symptoms for both infections but were seen more often in HAdV than in COVID-19 patients (92% vs. 66% and 60% vs. 18%, respectively). Compared with COVID-19 patients, children with HAdV infection had statistically significantly higher values of neutrophil count, neutrophil percentage, activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin but lower values of lymphocyte percentage, total bilirubin, potassium and sodium. Thoracic computed tomography also revealed more anomalies in HAdV patients than in COVID-19 patients (95% vs. 67%).ConclusionsCOVID-19 is an overall less symptomatic and less severe infection at admission compared to HAdV respiratory infection in pediatric population.

Highlights

The new emerging coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) overall shares similar symptoms with other common respiratory viral infections
Among all the pairs, 72 met the matching criterion and 72 age-matched patient pairs of COVID-19 patients and patients with human adenovirus (HAdV) respiratory infection were formed for analysis
These patients and their HAdV pairs were excluded when we compared the frequencies of clinical symptoms between the two infections

Summary

Introduction

The new emerging coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) overall shares similar symptoms with other common respiratory viral infections. We aimed in this study to compare COVID-19 and human adenovirus (HAdV) infections in pediatric patients regarding the frequencies of major clinical symptoms and the potential disparities in laboratory and imaging parameters. Fever and cough are the most commonly seen symptoms in children [4, 5]. Compared with adult COVID-19 patients, pediatric patients manifest relatively mild symptoms and rarely develop severe pneumonia [4, 5]. Human adenoviruses (HAdV) are a family of viruses causing 4–10% of respiratory illnesses in children and infants worldwide [6, 7]. COVID-19 and HAdV respiratory infection show similar symptoms such as fever and cough [8, 9], detailed comparisons of the two

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