The evolving picture of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 in children: critical knowledge gaps

Type Journal Article Author Priscilla Idele Author David Anthony Author Danzhen You Author Chewe Luo Author Lynne Mofenson URL https://gh.bmj.com/content/5/9/e003454 Rights © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited, appropriate credit is given, any changes made indicated, and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. Volume 5 Issue 9 Pages e003454 Publication BMJ Global Health ISSN 2059-7908 Date 16/09/2020 Extra Publisher: BMJ Specialist Journals Section: Commentary PMID: 32938610 DOI 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003454 Library Catalog gh.bmj.com Language en Abstract The initial impression that paediatric infection is uncommon and generally mild has been replaced by a more nuanced understanding of infectious manifestations in children across countries and by income group, with recognition of a widening disease spectrum. Critical knowledge gaps remain that have significant public policy and programme implications. Insufficient age and race/ethnicity disaggregated data are hindering efforts to assess fully the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 in children and the role of children in transmission. Potential biologic differences in susceptibility to infection and transmissibility between children and adults need to be explored. Determination of mother-to-child SARS-CoV-2 transmission requires appropriate samples obtained with proper timing, lacking in most studies. Predictors of disease progression and morbidity and mortality in children need to be determined, particularly as the pandemic moves to low-income and middle-income countries. The full spectrum of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children remains to be defined, and surveillance for and investigation of the pathogenesis of postinfectious sequelae, such as multisystem inflammatory syndrome, are vital. Short Title The evolving picture of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 in children