Coronavirus infections in children, often without cough
Children fall ill less often and less severe infections with the new Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 as adults. A new study now makes it clear that the symptoms of Coronavirus infections often deviates from the usual symptoms such as cough and respiratory problems.
In the case of a Coronavirus infection, children seem to develop in a more discomfort in the digestive tract than the typical cough. To a Chinese research team in its latest study. In the case of symptoms such as fever also an infection with SARS accompanied by diarrhea or abdominal should pain therefore-CoV-2 to be considered. Was published the study in the journal “Frontiers in Pediatrics”.
Clinical characteristics of COVID-19 in children
In their study, the Frog describe the clinical characteristics of children admitted without respiratory complaints or in the absence of respiratory symptoms to the hospital, but COVID-19 (a disease got by the Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2) and pneumonia was diagnosed. In the majority of children, symptoms occurred instead of respiratory complaints, first in the digestive tract, reports the researchers.
Manifestation in the digestive tract
“Even if your initial symptoms may have been unrelated to each other or COVID-19-the symptoms stayed prior to their admission to hospital, first of all, slightly, or relatively hidden, it is important that four of the five cases showed as the first Manifestation of this disease symptoms of the digestive tract,” stressed study author Dr. Wenbin Li of Tongji hospital in Wuhan.
Deviating Route Of Infection
Furthermore, the research results also suggest that the gastrointestinal symptoms, among which some of the children are first to suffer, go back to a possible route of infection via the digestive tract, according to the research team. This seems plausible, as to be found in the digestive tract also receptors in the cells, which allow the Coronavirus in the lung, the Penetration into the cells.
Infection via the digestive tract
“The gastrointestinal symptoms that occur in children, could be related to the distribution of the receptors and the Transmission path of the COVID-19 infection in humans in the context of”; Dr. Li emphasized. The Virus is infecting people on the ACE2 Receptor, which is found both in certain cells of the lung and the intestine. This could suggest that infection with COVID-19 can be done not only via the respiratory tract in the Form of air drops, but also via the digestive tract.
As COVID-19-a suspected case rate
Based on the Coronavirus infections in children, the expert explained that children with symptoms of the digestive tract, especially with fever and/or contact detection should be infected or in contact with the Coronavirus as COVID-19-suspected cases evaluated. Since most children are only mildly affected by COVID-19 and the symptoms of vagina itself could not be missed the diagnosis in the early stage quickly.
It has to be mentioned, however, that in the current study, only five children with COVID have been studied 19. Further studies on the incidence and the clinical features of Coronavirus infections in children are therefore required, says Dr. Li. (fp)