Cargando…

Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 After COVID-19 Screening and Mitigation Measures for Primary School Children Attending School in Liège, Belgium

IMPORTANCE: Recent data suggest a relatively low incidence of COVID-19 among children. The possible role that children attending primary school may play in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 remains poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: To gain a better understanding of the possible role of children in the tran...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Meuris, Christelle, Kremer, Cécile, Geerinck, Anton, Locquet, Medea, Bruyère, Olivier, Defêche, Justine, Meex, Cécile, Hayette, Marie-Pierre, Duchene, Loic, Dellot, Patricia, Azarzar, Samira, Maréchal, Nicole, Sauvage, Anne-Sophie, Frippiat, Frederic, Giot, Jean-Baptiste, Léonard, Philippe, Fombellida, Karine, Moutschen, Michel, Durkin, Keith, Artesi, Maria, Bours, Vincent, Faes, Christel, Hens, Niel, Darcis, Gilles
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: American Medical Association 2021
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8511974/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34636913
http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.28757
_version_ 1784582877187407872
author Meuris, Christelle
Kremer, Cécile
Geerinck, Anton
Locquet, Medea
Bruyère, Olivier
Defêche, Justine
Meex, Cécile
Hayette, Marie-Pierre
Duchene, Loic
Dellot, Patricia
Azarzar, Samira
Maréchal, Nicole
Sauvage, Anne-Sophie
Frippiat, Frederic
Giot, Jean-Baptiste
Léonard, Philippe
Fombellida, Karine
Moutschen, Michel
Durkin, Keith
Artesi, Maria
Bours, Vincent
Faes, Christel
Hens, Niel
Darcis, Gilles
author_facet Meuris, Christelle
Kremer, Cécile
Geerinck, Anton
Locquet, Medea
Bruyère, Olivier
Defêche, Justine
Meex, Cécile
Hayette, Marie-Pierre
Duchene, Loic
Dellot, Patricia
Azarzar, Samira
Maréchal, Nicole
Sauvage, Anne-Sophie
Frippiat, Frederic
Giot, Jean-Baptiste
Léonard, Philippe
Fombellida, Karine
Moutschen, Michel
Durkin, Keith
Artesi, Maria
Bours, Vincent
Faes, Christel
Hens, Niel
Darcis, Gilles
author_sort Meuris, Christelle
collection PubMed
description IMPORTANCE: Recent data suggest a relatively low incidence of COVID-19 among children. The possible role that children attending primary school may play in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 remains poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: To gain a better understanding of the possible role of children in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This prospective cohort study was conducted from September 21 to December 31, 2020, in a primary school in Liège, Belgium, among a volunteer sample of 181 children, parents, and school employees. EXPOSURES: Participants were tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection once a week for 15 weeks through throat washing, performed with 5 mL of saline and collected in a sterile tube after approximately 30 seconds of gargling. Quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect SARS-CoV-2 infection. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: In case of test positivity, participants were asked to complete a questionnaire aimed at determining the timing of symptom onset and symptom duration. SARS-CoV-2 genetic sequencing was also performed. Confirmed cases were linked based on available information on known contacts and viral sequences. RESULTS: A total of 181 individuals participated in this study, including 63 children (34 girls [54.0%]; mean [SD] age, 8.6 [1.9] years [range, 5-13 years]) and 118 adults (75 women [63.6%]; mean [SD] age, 42.5 [5.7] years [range, 30-59 years]). Forty-five individuals (24.9%) tested positive: 13 children (20.6%; 95% CI, 10.6%-30.6%) and 32 adults (27.1%; 95% CI, 19.1%-35.7%) (P = .34). Children were more often asymptomatic compared with adults (6 [46.2%; 95% CI, 19.1%-73.3%] vs 4 of 31 [12.9%; 95% CI, 1.3%-24.5%]; P = .04). The median duration of symptoms was shorter in children than in adults (0.00 days [IQR, 0.00-1.00 days] vs 15.00 days [IQR, 7.00-22.00 days]). A reconstruction of the outbreak revealed that most transmission events occurred between teachers and between children within the school. Of the observed household transmission events, most seemed to have originated from a child or teacher who acquired the infection at school. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Despite the implementation of several mitigation measures, the incidence of COVID-19 among children attending primary school in this study was comparable to that observed among teachers and parents. Transmission tree reconstruction suggests that most transmission events originated from within the school. Additional measures should be considered to reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at school, including intensified testing.
format Online
Article
Text
id pubmed-8511974
institution National Center for Biotechnology Information
language English
publishDate 2021
publisher American Medical Association
record_format MEDLINE/PubMed
spelling pubmed-85119742021-10-27 Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 After COVID-19 Screening and Mitigation Measures for Primary School Children Attending School in Liège, Belgium Meuris, Christelle Kremer, Cécile Geerinck, Anton Locquet, Medea Bruyère, Olivier Defêche, Justine Meex, Cécile Hayette, Marie-Pierre Duchene, Loic Dellot, Patricia Azarzar, Samira Maréchal, Nicole Sauvage, Anne-Sophie Frippiat, Frederic Giot, Jean-Baptiste Léonard, Philippe Fombellida, Karine Moutschen, Michel Durkin, Keith Artesi, Maria Bours, Vincent Faes, Christel Hens, Niel Darcis, Gilles JAMA Netw Open Original Investigation IMPORTANCE: Recent data suggest a relatively low incidence of COVID-19 among children. The possible role that children attending primary school may play in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 remains poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: To gain a better understanding of the possible role of children in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This prospective cohort study was conducted from September 21 to December 31, 2020, in a primary school in Liège, Belgium, among a volunteer sample of 181 children, parents, and school employees. EXPOSURES: Participants were tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection once a week for 15 weeks through throat washing, performed with 5 mL of saline and collected in a sterile tube after approximately 30 seconds of gargling. Quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect SARS-CoV-2 infection. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: In case of test positivity, participants were asked to complete a questionnaire aimed at determining the timing of symptom onset and symptom duration. SARS-CoV-2 genetic sequencing was also performed. Confirmed cases were linked based on available information on known contacts and viral sequences. RESULTS: A total of 181 individuals participated in this study, including 63 children (34 girls [54.0%]; mean [SD] age, 8.6 [1.9] years [range, 5-13 years]) and 118 adults (75 women [63.6%]; mean [SD] age, 42.5 [5.7] years [range, 30-59 years]). Forty-five individuals (24.9%) tested positive: 13 children (20.6%; 95% CI, 10.6%-30.6%) and 32 adults (27.1%; 95% CI, 19.1%-35.7%) (P = .34). Children were more often asymptomatic compared with adults (6 [46.2%; 95% CI, 19.1%-73.3%] vs 4 of 31 [12.9%; 95% CI, 1.3%-24.5%]; P = .04). The median duration of symptoms was shorter in children than in adults (0.00 days [IQR, 0.00-1.00 days] vs 15.00 days [IQR, 7.00-22.00 days]). A reconstruction of the outbreak revealed that most transmission events occurred between teachers and between children within the school. Of the observed household transmission events, most seemed to have originated from a child or teacher who acquired the infection at school. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Despite the implementation of several mitigation measures, the incidence of COVID-19 among children attending primary school in this study was comparable to that observed among teachers and parents. Transmission tree reconstruction suggests that most transmission events originated from within the school. Additional measures should be considered to reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at school, including intensified testing. American Medical Association 2021-10-12 /pmc/articles/PMC8511974/ /pubmed/34636913 http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.28757 Text en Copyright 2021 Meuris C et al. JAMA Network Open. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the CC-BY License.
spellingShingle Original Investigation
Meuris, Christelle
Kremer, Cécile
Geerinck, Anton
Locquet, Medea
Bruyère, Olivier
Defêche, Justine
Meex, Cécile
Hayette, Marie-Pierre
Duchene, Loic
Dellot, Patricia
Azarzar, Samira
Maréchal, Nicole
Sauvage, Anne-Sophie
Frippiat, Frederic
Giot, Jean-Baptiste
Léonard, Philippe
Fombellida, Karine
Moutschen, Michel
Durkin, Keith
Artesi, Maria
Bours, Vincent
Faes, Christel
Hens, Niel
Darcis, Gilles
Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 After COVID-19 Screening and Mitigation Measures for Primary School Children Attending School in Liège, Belgium
title Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 After COVID-19 Screening and Mitigation Measures for Primary School Children Attending School in Liège, Belgium
title_full Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 After COVID-19 Screening and Mitigation Measures for Primary School Children Attending School in Liège, Belgium
title_fullStr Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 After COVID-19 Screening and Mitigation Measures for Primary School Children Attending School in Liège, Belgium
title_full_unstemmed Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 After COVID-19 Screening and Mitigation Measures for Primary School Children Attending School in Liège, Belgium
title_short Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 After COVID-19 Screening and Mitigation Measures for Primary School Children Attending School in Liège, Belgium
title_sort transmission of sars-cov-2 after covid-19 screening and mitigation measures for primary school children attending school in liège, belgium
topic Original Investigation
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8511974/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34636913
http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.28757
work_keys_str_mv AT meurischristelle transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT kremercecile transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT geerinckanton transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT locquetmedea transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT bruyereolivier transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT defechejustine transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT meexcecile transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT hayettemariepierre transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT ducheneloic transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT dellotpatricia transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT azarzarsamira transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT marechalnicole transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT sauvageannesophie transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT frippiatfrederic transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT giotjeanbaptiste transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT leonardphilippe transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT fombellidakarine transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT moutschenmichel transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT durkinkeith transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT artesimaria transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT boursvincent transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT faeschristel transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT hensniel transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium
AT darcisgilles transmissionofsarscov2aftercovid19screeningandmitigationmeasuresforprimaryschoolchildrenattendingschoolinliegebelgium