{"id":1634,"date":"2020-05-15T07:50:31","date_gmt":"2020-05-15T07:50:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/repo.epiprev.it\/?p=1634"},"modified":"2020-05-26T11:11:34","modified_gmt":"2020-05-26T11:11:34","slug":"covid-19-like-symptoms-and-their-relation-to-sars-cov-2-epidemic-in-children-and-adults-of-the-italian-birth-cohort","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/repo.epiprev.it\/index.php\/2020\/05\/15\/covid-19-like-symptoms-and-their-relation-to-sars-cov-2-epidemic-in-children-and-adults-of-the-italian-birth-cohort\/","title":{"rendered":"COVID-19-like symptoms and their relation to SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in children and adults of the Italian birth cohort"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Publication date:<\/strong> 15\/05\/2020 – E&P Code:<\/strong> repo.epiprev.it\/1634<\/a>
Authors:<\/strong> Maja Popovic1<\/sup>, Chiara Moccia1<\/sup>, Elena Isaevska1<\/sup>, Giovenale Moirano1<\/sup>, Costanza Pizzi1<\/sup>, Daniela Zugna1<\/sup>, Franca Rusconi2<\/sup>, Franco Merletti1<\/sup>, Milena Maule1<\/sup>, Lorenzo Richiardi1<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abstract<\/strong>: Background<\/em>. <\/strong>Emerging COVID-19 pandemic caused extensive lockdowns in a number of countries, but yet unknown number of cases positive to SARS-CoV-2 escapes surveillance systems.
Methods<\/em><\/strong>. Mothers participating in the Italian NINFEA birth cohort were invited to complete an online questionnaire on COVID-19-like symptoms in the household. We estimated the population prevalence of COVID-19-like symptoms in children and adults, assessed their geographical correlation with the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases by province, analysed their clustering within families, and estimated their sensitivity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) for COVID-19 diagnosis in individuals tested for SARS-CoV-2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Results<\/em>. <\/strong>Information was collected on 3184 households, 6133 adults, and 5751 children. There was a strong geographical correlation between the population cumulative incidence of COVID-19 and the prevalence of muscle pain, fatigue, low-grade fever, and breathing difficulties in adults (Spearman\u2019s rho \u22650.70). Having at least one family member with a COVID-19 diagnosis, compared with none tested for SARS-CoV-2, was associated with an increased prevalence ratio of almost all COVID-19-like symptoms in adults, and only of low-grade fever (37-37.5oC; prevalence ratio 5.27; 95% confidence intervals: 2.37 to 11.74) and anosmia\/dysgeusia in children. Among adults with COVID-19, fatigue, muscle pain, and fever had a sensitivity \u226570%. In individuals tested for SARS-CoV-2, with a 16.6% prevalence of COVID-19, breathing difficulties and nausea\/vomiting had the highest PPVs, with point estimates close to 60%, and with NPVs close to 90%. Among tested Piedmont residents, with a COVID-19 prevalence of 18.5%, breathing difficulties and anosmia\/disguesia reached PPVs above 80%.
Conclusion. <\/em><\/strong>Geographical prevalence of COVID-19-like symptoms in adults may inform on local disease clusters, while certain symptoms in family members of confirmed COVID-19 cases could help identification of the intra-familial spread of the virus and its further propagation in the community. Low-grade fever is frequent in children with at least one household member with COVID-19 and possibly indicates child infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cite as<\/strong>: Maja Popovic, Chiara Moccia, Elena Isaevska, et. al. (2020). COVID-19-like symptoms and their relation to SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in children and adults of the Italian birth cohort. E&P Repository https:\/\/repo.epiprev.it\/1634<\/a>