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.
He has been given time till tomorrow morning to file his reply as to why no action should be taken against him.
Comments
Its all about vote bank politics. In fact these pakhandi babas are rapists and believe in homosexuality Those who justify this dhongi baba are indeed knew or pretend to be blind on the fact that many non muslims producing illegal children from extra marital affairs.
Please don't call him such people as Maharaj,
Maharaj is a sacred word. He talks like a drunken man.
He does not deserve for it.
If daring why does he refer indirect. He cant say as Muslims.
The man himself did not marry and expecting his followers to make 40 children.
We have in India many Hindu friends like brothers and sisters.
These people create intolerance amongst peace lovers.
very unfortunate these coward senseless are elected as MPs.
It shows what is the mind-level of those who elected Him.
This is the strategy of BJP to field such a hate mongers to divide the country. They deserve stringent punishment for spoiling public harmony.
Why propaganda , if hindus fear , they are become minority , let these swamies to marry at least one girl and produce children as many as possible , if they capable.... as more official survey non muslims are have more than one wife than muslims..... let the govt to publish 2011 religious wise survey report...!
These swamis are drunkards....they say whatever they feel like...disgusting....must be eliminated from this earth....it will bring peace and tranquility to everyone....
Muslims have the the power and guts to do that in reality. Not like Sakshi Maharaj who afraid to get marry in his life.
What will be the end result if he is found guilty .... He should be kicked out/ Booted out from the Loksabaha...
Let him show a single person with 4 wives and 40 children.... No doubt he is expert in Ramayana and Mahabharatha stories ....
I appreciate EC action. EC should recommend removal of this hate monger and should not allow for further election. I wil appreciate if EC removes voting right of this hate monger. I agree with statement of this hate monger that money from cow slaughter is used for terrorist act. It is well known that beef exporters are bjp sympathizers and huge amount of money is given by these beef exporters to sangh parivar which is being used in terrorist acts. I think this hate monger is also getting a share.
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