Spectrum of COVID-19 infection in children in Southern Nigeria
Niger. j. paediatr
;
49(1): 17-21, 2022. figures, tables
Article
in English
| AIM
| ID: biblio-1372508
ABSTRACT
Background:
Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic that affects all age groups. Infected asymptomatic children can transmit the disease to vulnerable adults with co-morbidities resulting in severe disease in the latter. There are few reports of COVID-19 in children in Sub-Saharan Africa in general and in Nigeria in particular.Aim:
To determine the prevalence, symptoms and risk factors for COVID-19 in Southern Nigerian children.Methods:
This was a one-year retrospective cross-sectional study between April 2020 and March 2021. Data of all children tested for COVID-19 was extracted from the Epidemiology unit of Akwa Ibom state ministry of health. All patient identifiers were omitted and data was analyzed using STATA version 13.Results:
Two hundred and fifty five children (2.25%) out of a total of 11,289 people were tested for COVID-19. Fifty -four children (0.47%) of the total number of persons tested for COVID-19 were positive. Twenty one percent of the 255 children tested were positive for COVID-19. Two hundred and fifty- four (99.6%) of children that were tested had a positive history of contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case. Five (9.3%) of COVID-19 positive children were symptomatic. The commonest symptoms seen were Fever (90.9%), Anosmia (63.6%) and Aguesia (36.4%). Increasing age (15 years and above) was significantly associated with COVID-19 positivity (p=0.000). In addition, the presence of symptoms was significantly associated with COVID-19 positivity (p=0.04). Conclusion/Recommendation The prevalence of COVID-19 in Southern Nigerian children is low. Majority of the children have asymptomatic disease. Increasing age is significantly associated with COVID-19 positivity. We recommend increased COVID-19 testing in the general children population.
Full text:
Available
Index:
AIM (Africa)
Main subject:
Signs and Symptoms
/
Risk Factors
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Etiology study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Risk factors
Language:
English
Journal:
Niger. j. paediatr
Year:
2022
Type:
Article
Institution/Affiliation country:
Department of Community Medicine, University of Uyo/NG
/
University of Uyo Teaching Hospital+NG
/
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Uyo/NG
/
Department of Paediatrics University of Uyo, Teaching Hospital/NG
/
State Epidemiologist/NG
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