May 12: Children suffering from non-respiratory disease symptoms like diarrhea and fever, or those with a history of exposure to the novel coronavirus, should be suspected of having COVID-19, a new study says.
According to the research, published in the journal Frontiers in Pediatrics, gastrointestinal symptoms first suffered by some children hints at potential infection with SARS-CoV-2 through the digestive tract.
"This case series is the first report to describe the clinical features of COVID-19 with non-respiratory symptoms as the first manifestation in children," the scientists from Tongji Hospital in China wrote in the study.
They explained that the gastrointestinal symptoms could be arising since the type of receptors in lung cells targeted by the virus can also be found in the intestines.
Most children are only mildly affected by COVID-19, and the few severe cases often have underlying health issues, the researchers said.
"It is easy to miss its diagnosis in the early stage, when a child has non-respiratory symptoms, or suffers from another illness," said study co-author Wenbin Li, who works at the Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital.
"Based on our experience of dealing with COVID-19, in regions where this virus is epidemic, children suffering from digestive tract symptoms, especially with fever and/or a history of exposure to this disease, should be suspected of being infected with this virus," Li said.
In the study, the scientists described the clinical features of children admitted to hospital with non-respiratory symptoms, who were subsequently diagnosed with pneumonia and COVID-19.
"These children were seeking medical advice in the emergency department for unrelated problems, for example, one had a kidney stone, another a head trauma," Li said.
The study noted that all the children had pneumonia, which was confirmed by chest X-ray scan before or soon after admission.
These children were then confirmed to have COVID-19.
While their COVID-19 symptoms were initially mild or relatively hidden before their hospital admission, four out of the five cases had digestive tract symptoms as the first manifestation of this disease, the researchers said.
Li hopes that doctors will use the findings to quickly diagnose and isolate patients with similar symptoms, which may aid early treatment and reduce transmission.
According to the researchers, the children's gastrointestinal symptoms, which have also been recorded in adult patients, could be an additional route of infection.
"The gastrointestinal symptoms experienced by these children may be related to the distribution of receptors and the transmission pathway associated with COVID-19 infection in humans," Li explained.
Since the virus infects people via the ACE2 receptor, which can be found in certain cells in the lungs as well as the intestines, COVID-19 might infect patients not only through the respiratory tract in the form of air droplets, but also through the digestive tract by contact or fecal-oral transmission, the study noted.
While COVID-19 tests can occasionally produce false positive readings, Li said all the five children assessed in the study were infected with the disease.
However, he cautioned that more research is needed to confirm their findings.
"We report five cases of COVID-19 in children showing non-respiratory symptoms as the first manifestation after admission to hospital. The incidence and clinical features of similar cases needs further study in more patients," he said.
Comments
ANDHA KANOON
We are GHULAM to westerners, We ban consumption of BEEF in India, but, we want to EXPORT millions of tons of BEEF for foreigners. We ban consumption of BEEF in India because consumption of Muslims, But, we want to give special license to serve BEEF to foreigners.
Congress fought against the westerner's Ghulamgiri, Now, BJP want to become GHULAMS again.
The holy god cow sleep and wander in Road side and Bhaktas and rich people stay in highfi AC Room . What a utter stupidity.
BEEF BAN ONLY BECAUSE MUSLIMS CONSUME IT MORE.. NOT COZ OF ITS THEIR GOW MAAATA......
FOREIGNERS CAN KILL GOW MAATA.......
WHAAT WHAAAT A MAAATA IT IS......... OMG
hindu brothers realise the bjp politics.... they just want to be in big chairs .. no sentiments on hindu gods or goddesses......
can foreigners eat their mother. (cow)
my dear vhp partiots, you see cow god will be eating by foreigners,
you wake up otherwise all cows will be finished from india
Couple of questions coming in mind....
1. Who is going to slaughter cow?
2. What you will do with not sold out cow meat?
In future foreigners can eat God mother in Hariyana....oh what is this double standard....God mother must be angry now....BJP is responsible for it...next election I doubt they get any seat.....God mother's curse will prevail...on Modi sarkar...
Wha wha wta a drama by bjp ap bik baaarrr modiji ki cow biryani..
were is now bd & &vhp rss this is we call intolerence how they give the special licince to cook a holly cow biryani ......
one who india not allowed to eat cow and killed fr that reason
One who coming from out of the country they wil eat//
Kaate g tho khayega na............License ke saath marega kya........apne maa ko
This is the beginning of admitting their fault.
Beef lovers, just join the foreigners as their guest Or their host.
Beef consumption will now increase than before.
They are afraid of foreign income.
BJP did stupidity, mess and cleaning it themselves.
It means their love towards their Go Matha is just a politics, in front of money, no value for the mother.
Hum kare tho balathkaar....Aur aap kare tho chamathkaar
this is incredible law from bjp,,hahahahahahaha
Hindutuva members please recognize your leaders choice. They are already fooling YOU people to attack the innocent and they themselves involve in selling your MAA COW ...
Its Politics to FOOL people who attack innocents without VERIFYing the authenticity of any isssues.. Please WAKE UP. Dont become fools again & again.
BJP's Beef Bhagya... Biryani is yummy :p
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