Publication date: Jan 23, 2025
During the omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and with SARS-CoV-2 vaccines becoming available, seroprevalence rates rose in children and adolescents. This study investigated the impact of both SARS-CoV-2 infections and vaccinations on the incidence of acute and prolonged symptoms in real-world conditions during the transition from the pandemic to the endemic phase. Participants from a pediatric population based seroprevalence study (CorKID study) were followed up at least two and for almost four years by survey of health status features and symptoms suggestive of post-COVID syndrome (PCS). In a subgroup (n = 259) SARS-CoV-2 antibody serology was further investigated. 789 participants of the original CorKID study cohort (n = 2. 121; 37. 2%) were included. 67. 9% reported at least one SARS-CoV2 infection. 46. 6% had received one or more SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations. In the vast majority of serologically tested participants antibodies again SARS-CoV-2 spike (98. 9%) or nucleocapsid (93. 3%) antigen were detected following infection and/or vaccination. At least 30% experienced one unrecognized SARS-CoV-2 infection. The overall health status was comparable between children, irrespective of SARS-CoV-2 infections and similar to pre-pandemic assessment. However, a subset of young adolescents exhibited a decline in physical performance compared to pre-pandemic conditions. After infection, PCS-like symptoms persisted in 7% of the respondents for more than three months and up to four years. SARS-CoV-2 vaccinated participants (47%) reported 12% less acute flu-like infections other than SARS-CoV-2. Nearly all participants developed SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in this longitudinal study through either vaccination or infection during the Omicron wave. About 7% of participants suffered from PCS symptoms, predominately fatigue and exhaustion. Furthermore, participants who received vaccinations against SARS-CoV-2 reported a lower frequency of acute infections during follow-up.
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Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | SARS-CoV-2 infection |
| pathway | REACTOME | SARS-CoV-2 Infection |
| disease | MESH | health status |
| disease | MESH | syndrome |
| disease | MESH | infection |
| disease | MESH | seroconversion |
| disease | MESH | complications |
| disease | MESH | pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Coenzyme M |
| disease | IDO | history |
| disease | MESH | long covid |
| disease | IDO | assay |
| disease | MESH | re infection |
| disease | IDO | blood |
| disease | MESH | myocarditis |
| disease | MESH | hypotension |
| disease | IDO | acute infection |
| disease | MESH | dyspnea |