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
Thanks for the good writeup. It if truth be told used to be a entertainment account
it. Look complicated to far brought agreeable from you!
However, how can we be in contact?
Here is my web site - the best vitamin c serum: http://www.alwaysflowers.net/?option=com_k2&view=itemlist&task=user&id=…
I have read some excellent stuff here. Certainly price bookmarking for revisiting.
I surprise how a lot effort you put to create any such wonderful
informative website.
my blog best vitamin c serums: http://tianheqiqiu.com/comment/html/index.php?page=1&id=68442
It's fantastic that you are getting thoughts from this piece of writing as well as from our argument made at this
time.
Look into my web page vitamin c serum reviews (www.mep.aw: http://www.mep.aw/?option=com_k2&view=itemlist&task=user&id=885541)
Shobakka, how is Yeddi why you got married same person twice did you divorced after first marriage,
Uruda Madmaye,
Gattida Thammana avodu
Shimoga ties with Udupi. Vow. Why hiding the good news from the couple.
HAPPY MARRIED LIFE....
Dears,
don't think, if both are single, why not. But why in secret. Who can stop them.
Any way he is now son in law of D. Kannada.
So we have to arrange him a Thammana, chammana,
Government should not waste money by providing Z plus security to Mr. Padmanabah.. there is no benefit for common man even if yeddy get marry or not ? Its their personal life. Wishing good luck for yeddy and shoba.. happy married life..
Wishing you both Happiest Married Life.
Next Karnataka Cabinet, Lungi and Chaddi leading Karnataka Govt
Marriage is not a crime in our Hindustani tradition we have a perfect way of getting marriage system, That's in life one Time only what here Yeddi and Lunggi did Twice could you please clarify Master Viren ???
It is an open secret. I think few people still need confirmation.
Yeddy killed his wife to get marrried with shobha. Yeddy has the support from Swamis, because after getting married he supplies women to swamis.
Yeddy used to find with Nithyananda. If there was no women then they used to fulfill their desires. This is going on in Indian politics.
@Viren Kotian & Nihal
Marrying secretly is not a crime in India. but here suspicion arises over the death of former CM's wife!
After all why cant they stop drama ?
Anyway, happy married life.
Well said Mr Vieren Kotian. Let's take it positively.
Is marrying a crime in India? Well done Yeddy and Shobhakka. You have set an example of simple marriage. Let others follow this couple. Congrats :)
Add new comment