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. 2021 Jun 15;72(12):e970-e977.
doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaa1721.

Susceptibility to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection Among Children and Adults: A Seroprevalence Study of Family Households in the Barcelona Metropolitan Region, Spain

Pedro Brotons  1   2   3 , Cristian Launes  1   3   4 , Elena Buetas  1 , Vicky Fumado  1   4 , Desiree Henares  1   3 , Mariona Fernandez de Sevilla  1   3   4 , Alba Redin  1 , Laura Fuente-Soro  5 , Daniel Cuadras  1 , Maria Mele  1   4 , Cristina Jou  6 , Pere Millat  7 , Iolanda Jordan  1   3   4 , Juan Jose Garcia-Garcia  1   3   4 , Quique Bassat  3   4   5   7   8 , Carmen Muñoz-Almagro  1   2   3   9 ; Kids Corona Study Group
Collaborators, Affiliations

Susceptibility to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection Among Children and Adults: A Seroprevalence Study of Family Households in the Barcelona Metropolitan Region, Spain

Pedro Brotons et al. Clin Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Susceptibility of children and adults to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and persistence of antibody response to the virus after infection resolution remain poorly understood, despite their significant public health implications.

Methods: A prospective cross-sectional seroprevalence study with volunteer families that included at least 1 first-reported adult case positive by SARS-CoV-2 by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and at least 1 child aged <15 years living in the same household under strict home confinement was conducted in the metropolitan Barcelona Health Region, Spain, during the pandemic period 28 April 2020-3 June 2020. All household members were tested at home using a rapid SARS-CoV-2 antibody assay with finger prick-obtained capillary blood.

Results: A total of 381 family households including 381 first-reported PCR-positive adult cases and 1084 contacts (672 children, 412 adults) were enrolled. SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence rates were 17.6% (118 of 672) in children and 18.7% (77 of 335) in adult contacts (P = .64). Among first-reported cases, seropositivity rates varied from 84.0% in adults previously hospitalized and tested within 6 weeks since the first positive PCR result to 31.5% in those not hospitalized and tested after that lag time (P < .001). Nearly all (99.9%) positive children were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms.

Conclusions: Children appear to have similar probability as adults to become infected by SARS-CoV-2 in quarantined family households but remain largely asymptomatic. Adult antibody protection against SARS-CoV-2 seems to be weak beyond 6 weeks post-infection confirmation, especially in cases that have experienced mild disease.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; antibody; household; prevalence.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Seropositivity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibodies detected by rapid antibody assay in first-reported cases according to time of convalescence (total samples, N = 381).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Seropositivity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibodies detected by rapid antibody assay and ELISA in first-reported cases according to time of convalescence (total paired samples, N = 250). Abbreviations: ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; LFA, lateral flow assay.
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