Abstract

Clinical epidemiology of COVID-19 among hospitalized children in rural western Kenya

Tsegaye AT, Sherry C, Oduol C, Otieno J, Rwigi D, Masheti M, Machura I, Liru M, Akuka J, Omedo D, Symekher S, Khamadi SA, Isaaka L, Ogero M, Mumelo L, Berkley JA, Agweyu A, Walson JL, Singa BO, Tickell KD
PLOS Glob Public Health. 2023;3

Permenent descriptor

The epidemiology of pediatric COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa and the role of fecal-oral transmission in SARS-CoV-2 are poorly understood. Among children and adolescents in Kenya, we identify correlates of COVID-19 infection, document the clinical outcomes of infection, and evaluate the prevalence and viability of SARS-CoV-2 in stool. We recruited a prospective cohort of hospitalized children aged two months to 15 years in western Kenya between March 1 and June 30 2021. Children with SARS-CoV-2 were followed monthly for 180-days after hospital discharge. Bivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify the clinical and sociodemographics correlates of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We also calculated the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 detection in stool of confirmed cases. Of 355 systematically tested children, 55 (15.5%) were positive and were included in the cohort. The commonest clinical features among COVID-19 cases were fever (42/55, 76%), cough (19/55, 35%), nausea and vomiting (19/55, 35%), and lethargy (19/55, 35%). There were no statistically significant difference in baseline sociodemographic and clinical characteristics between SARS-CoV-2 positive and negative participants. Among positive participants, 8/55 (14.5%, 95%CI: 5.3%-23.9%) died; seven during the inpatient period. Forty-nine children with COVID-19 had stool samples or rectal swabs available at baseline, 9 (17%) had PCR-positive stool or rectal swabs, but none had SARS-CoV-2 detected by culture. Syndromic identification of COVID-19 is particularly challenging among children as the presenting symptoms and signs mirror other common pediatric diseases. Mortality among children hospitalized with COVID-19 was high in this cohort but was comparable to mortality seen with other common illnesses in this setting. Among this small set of children with COVID-19 we detected SARS-CoV-2 DNA, but were not able to culture viable SARs-CoV-2 virus, in stool. This suggests that fecal transmission may not be a substantial risk in children recently diagnosed and hospitalized with COVID-19 infection.