AUTHOR=Liao Xuejiao , Liu Jiaye , He Ziyi , Hu Ming , Xiao Tongyang , Wei Lanlan , Cai Qiue , Wang Haiyan , He Qing , Liu Lei , Zhang Zheng 

TITLE=Longitudinal Changes on Clinical Features in 28 Children With COVID-19 in Shenzhen, China

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=7

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2020.579406

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2020.579406

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objective:</bold> To investigate the clinical characteristics of children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and identify the occurrence of viral shedding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) during follow-up.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> We retrospectively retrieved data from pediatric patients with COVID-19 from the Shenzhen Third People's Hospital in China. The dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 and antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were analyzed during hospitalization and after discharge.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> From January 23 to March 15, 2020, a total of 28 pediatric patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 and were followed for at least 1 month. The median age was 7 years (IQR 3.5–10) and none of the children progressed to severe COVID-19 during hospitalization. Ten patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 1 month after discharge while four patients tested positive during the 2nd month after discharge. Only three of 12 children showed detectable immunoglobulin-M (IgM) on day 5, 18, and 21 after illness onset, respectively.</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold> COVID-19 disease was relatively mild among children while a number did test positive after discharge from the hospital. Public health initiatives should thus adapt control measures targeted toward children.</p>