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Clinical Trial
. 2021 Sep;51(6):552-555.
doi: 10.1016/j.idnow.2021.07.004. Epub 2021 Jul 13.

Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 testing in children during a low prevalence period (VIGIL study 1)

Eleonore Eskander  1 , Camille Jung  2 , Corinne Levy  3 , Stéphane Béchet  1 , Nathalie Blot  4 , Stéphanie Gorde  5 , Camille le Stradic  6 , Matthieu Come  7 , Robert Touitou  8 , Robert Cohen  9
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 testing in children during a low prevalence period (VIGIL study 1)

Eleonore Eskander et al. Infect Dis Now. 2021 Sep.

Abstract

Objectives: SARS-CoV-2 induces a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations, which overlap with other viral infections very common in children. We aimed to describe the percentage of positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR tests in symptomatic and asymptomatic ambulatory children and to determine the predictive factors for positivity.

Patients and methods: From June 1 to July 31, 2020, we conducted a cross-sectional prospective, multicenter study (13 hospital emergency units and 59 ambulatory pediatricians) throughout France. Children under 15 years of age with a prescription of nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test were enrolled.

Results: Among the 1,553 RT-PCR tests, 22 were positive (1.4%; 95%CI [0.9; 2.1]). In both univariate and multivariate analyses, the predictive factors for positivity were age below 2 years (OR: 4.5 [1.6; 12.7]) and history of contact (OR: 12.3 [4.6; 32.8]).

Conclusions: In an epidemic stage with low SARS-CoV-2 circulation, sampling of children with nonspecific symptoms and without known contact could be questioned.

Keywords: Ambulatory; Children; Clinical signs; RT-PCR; SARS-CoV-2.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Distribution of children according to the presence or absence of symptoms, contacts, and SARS-CoV-2 PCR test results.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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