Culture-Competent SARS-CoV-2 in Nasopharynx of Symptomatic Neonates, Children, and Adolescents
Arnaud G. L’Huillier, Giulia Torriani, Fiona Pigny, Laurent Kaiser, Isabella Eckerle
Abstract
C hildren are underrepresented in coronavi- rus disease (COVID-19) case numbers (1,2). Severity in most children is limited, and children do not seem to be major drivers of transmission (3,4). However, severe acute respiratory syndrome Children do not seem to drive transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We isolated culture-competent virus in vitro from 12 (52%) of 23 SARS-CoV-2-infected children; the youngest was 7 days old. Our findings show that symptomatic neonates, children, and teenagers shed infectious SARS-CoV-2, suggesting that transmission from them is plausible.
Topics & Concepts
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)2019-20 coronavirus outbreakSars virusMedicineBetacoronavirusVirologyPediatricsPandemicOutbreakInternal medicineInfectious disease (medical specialty)DiseaseRespiratory viral infections researchSARS-CoV-2 detection and testingSARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research