Clinical and immunological features of convalescent pediatric patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in Tianjin, China

• Published in: Virologica Sinica 2022-12, Vol.37 (6), p.850-859
• Main Authors: Wang, Jing-Yu, Li, Tian-Ning, Zhou, Chun-Lei, Zhao, Jie, Wang, Meng, Wang, Yuan, Jiang, Yan, Dong, He-Nan, Qi, Qian-Ru, Mu, Hong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Child; China; Clinical characteristics; COVID-19; COVID-19 Vaccines; Humans; Pediatric patients; SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant; SARS-CoV-2 vaccine
• ISSN: 1995-820X; 1674-0769; 1995-820X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.virs.2022.10.009

COVID-19 has spread surprisingly fast worldwide, and new variants continue to emerge. Recently, the World Health Organization acknowledged a new mutant strain “Omicron”, with children were accounting for a growing share of COVID-19 cases compared with other mutant strains. However, the clinical and immunological characteristics of convalescent pediatric patients after Omicron infection were lacking. In this study, we comparatively analyzed the clinical data from pediatric patients with adult patients or healthy children and the effects of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine on the clinical and immune characteristics in convalescent pediatric patients. Our results indicated that convalescent pediatric patients had unique clinical and immune characteristics different from those of adult patients or healthy children, and SARS-CoV-2 vaccination significantly affected on the clinical and immune characteristics and the prevention of nucleic acid re-detectable positive (RP) in convalescent patients. Our study further deepens the understanding of the impact of Omicron on the long-term health of pediatric patients and provides a valuable reference for the prevention and treatment of children infected with Omicron. •Convalescent pediatric patients had fewer clinical symptoms, lower RP rate and better prognosis compared with adult patients.•Liver function indicator was less affected but creatinine levels were abnormally reduced in convalescent pediatric patients.•Convalescent pediatric patients had unique immunological characteristics.•Vaccination had significant effects on clinical indicators and immune characteristics of convalescent pediatric patients.•SARS-CoV-2 vaccination had notably protective effects on the prevention RP in convalescent patients.