Longitudinal Rise in Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Infections in Children in Western Germany-A Blind Spot in Epidemiology?

Folke Brinkmann,Jan Spiecker,Thomas Lücke,Christoph Maier,Lynn Eitner,Anne Schlegtendal,Nina Timmesfeld,Chantal Matenar,Hans H Diebner

doi:10.3390/idr13040088

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 infection rates in children and adolescents are often underestimated due to asymptomatic or oligosymptomatic infections. Seroprevalence studies can reveal the magnitude of “silent” infections in this age group and help to assess the risk of infection for children but also their role in spreading the disease. In total, 2045 children and their parents from the Ruhr region were finally included after the exclusion of drop-outs. Seroconversion rates among children of all age groups increased from 0.5% to 8% during the study period and were about three to fourfold higher than the officially registered PCR-based infection rates. Only 41% recalled symptoms of infection; 59% were asymptomatic. In 51% of the infected children, at least one parent also developed SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Depending on local incidences, the rates of seroconversion rose to different levels during the study period. Although the dynamics of infection within the study cohort mirrors local incidence, the figure of SARS-CoV-2 infections in children and adolescents appears to be high. Reported contact with SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals in the same household carries a high risk of infection.

Highlights

SARS-CoV-2 infections in children are diagnosed less frequently than in adults [1,2].Reasons for this might include high percentages of oligo- or asymptomatic infections [3]and undertesting, especially in young children who often get quarantined with their infected parents without being tested themselves.Seroconversion studies, show that the infection rate in children and adolescents is probably similar to adults
Prospective, longitudinal, and population-based data on seroconversion rates in asymptomatic children and their parents were gathered to improve the understanding of infection chains and help to improve infection control measures
To directly compare the observed seroprevalence in the CorKid cohort with the confirmed cases reported by the Robert-Koch Institute (RKI), an age-standardization procedure was used

Summary

Introduction

SARS-CoV-2 infections in children are diagnosed less frequently than in adults [1,2].Reasons for this might include high percentages of oligo- or asymptomatic infections [3]and undertesting, especially in young children who often get quarantined with their infected parents without being tested themselves.Seroconversion studies, show that the infection rate in children and adolescents is probably similar to adults. SARS-CoV-2 infections in children are diagnosed less frequently than in adults [1,2]. Reasons for this might include high percentages of oligo- or asymptomatic infections [3]. Undertesting, especially in young children who often get quarantined with their infected parents without being tested themselves. Seroconversion studies, show that the infection rate in children and adolescents is probably similar to adults. The role of children in spreading the infection is still not well understood. In this cohort study, prospective, longitudinal, and population-based data on seroconversion rates in asymptomatic children and their parents were gathered to improve the understanding of infection chains and help to improve infection control measures

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion