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. 2021 Nov 10;47(11):461-465.
doi: 10.14745/ccdr.v47i11a03.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children in Canada

Meghan Laverty  1 , Marina Salvadori  1 , Susan G Squires  1 , May Ahmed  2 , Lisa Eisenbeis  3 , Santina Lee  4 , Annick Des Cormiers  5 , Y Anita Li  1
Affiliations

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children in Canada

Meghan Laverty et al. Can Commun Dis Rep. .

Abstract

This article provides a summary of the epidemiology of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) cases reported nationally in Canada by provincial and territorial health authorities. Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children is a post-viral inflammatory syndrome that temporally follows coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, skin rash and other signs of inflammation. In Canada, MIS-C is rare, with 269 cases reported to the Public Health Agency of Canada between March 11, 2020 and October 2, 2021. One hundred forty-two (53%) of these cases were lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases or epidemiologically-linked with COVID-19 cases. Cases have been reported in infants as young as one week to youth as old as 18 years, with a median age of six years. Cases were more likely to occur in males than females (58% vs 42%, respectively; p=0.006). Almost all MIS-C cases (99%) required hospitalization and 36% required intensive care unit admission. No deaths have been reported to date. The time trend of MIS-C aligns with the incidence rate time trend of COVID-19 reported in children, with a two to six-week lag.

Keywords: COVID-19; MIS-C; children’s health; inflammatory syndrome; surveillance.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Reported cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children by epidemiological week of symptom onset compared with cases of COVID-19 in children and youth aged 0–19 years, Canada, March 11, 2020 to October 2, 2021(N=269) Abbreviations: COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; MIS-C, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children a Data source: MIS-C National reporting from provinces and territories b Data source: Coronavirus diseases 2019 national surveillance system c COVID-19 positive via RT-PCR, antigen test or serology d No known evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection or exposure to a COVID-19 case Note: The shaded area represents a period of time where it is expected that cases have occurred but have not yet been reported nationally
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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