Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Regulations on the Health Status and Medical Care of Children with Trisomy 21.

BACKGROUND: While children are considered at low risk for COVID-19, little is known about the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on paediatric risk patients like children with Trisomy 21 (T21). As these children often need regular therapy and various medical appointments, this study aimed to investigate the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children with T21. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Parents of children with T21 in the age of 0-12 years in Saxony-Anhalt were interviewed via phone in June 2021 regarding the health status and medical care of their children during the past 15 months of pandemic. RESULTS: 37 children with mean age of 6.1 years (min 0; max 12) were included in the study. The majority did not have any additional congenital anomalies. Surveyed parents hardly reported adverse changes of health status during the pandemic, but rather improvements, such as decreased number of respiratory infections and more time spend with their children. Outpatient appointments and therapy were cancelled or postponed at the onset of the pandemic, but parents reported low impact on their child's health and development. The main concern seemed to be lack of childcare during school and day-care closures and uncertainty concerning possible health impacts of an infection on their children. CONCLUSION: There was low impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health and medical care of children with T21 in our study population. Further research is needed to help weigh the child's individual risk of infection against the need for medical treatment and therapy when dealing with paediatric risk patients.

Congenital cytomegalovirus infection in Central Germany: an underestimated risk.

PURPOSE: This is the first study to determine the cytomegalovirus (CMV) seronegativity rate for women of childbearing age in Saxony-Anhalt and to determine the prevalence of clinically relevant congenital CMV (cCMV) infection in Central Germany, because there are no valid data available. METHODS: The retrospective study was undertaken between January 2005 and December 2015. For the first time in Germany, the following seven data sources were used to analyze the prevalence of clinically relevant cCMV infection and the rate of CMV seronegative women of childbearing age: CMV Screening in maternity unit, University Women's Hospital, Social Paediatrics Centre (SPC), Malformation Monitoring Centre (MMC), Newborn Hearing Screening (NHS), Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and In-house Doctor Department. Key parameters were anti-CMV IgG and IgM, CMV PCR of urine, and clinically relevant symptoms caused by CMV. RESULTS: Between 46 and 52% of women of childbearing age were CMV seronegative. The prevalence of clinically relevant cCMV infection was between 0.008 and 0.04%. CONCLUSIONS: The CMV seronegativity rate of women of childbearing age was confirmed to be in the middle range of estimated data from other sources in Germany. Data from the NICU, SPC, NHS, and MMC show the prevalence of clinically relevant cCMV infection. The risk of all cCMV infections is underestimated. Thus, the true prevalence of clinically relevant and subclinical cCMV infections is >0.04%.