Household Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and Long-term Immunity in Children: A Prospective Study in Northern Spain

Abstract

Background: The role of children in SARS-CoV-2 transmission and their immune response after infection have been profoundly discussed. Hereby, we analyze both aspects in a Spanish pediatric population. Methods: Prospective, multicentre, longitudinal study performed from July 2020 to September 2021 in children up to 14 years old. Venous blood samples were collected every 6 months and serum was analyzed for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 using a spike (S) and a nucleocapsid (N) protein assays. Household contacts of seropositive children were tested. Household transmission, antibody dynamics, and durability were analyzed. Results: Two hundred children were recruited and 28 had SARS-CoV-2 antibodies at the end of the study, resulting in an overall seroprevalence of 16.6% (95% CI: 9.5%–19.6%). Most of children (18/28) were secondary cases. The secondary attack rate (SAR) was lower in households with pediatric index cases than in those with adult index cases (P = 0.023). The median antibody titers in the first positive serology, for the seropositive patients, were 137 BAU/mL (IQR 83.3–427.4) for the S-assay and 132.5 COI (IQR 14.5–170.5) for the N-assay without significant differences between symptomatic and asymptomatic children. The median time between the RT-PCR and the last serology was 7.5 months (IQR 5.2–8.8), and the duration of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies after infection was proven to be at least 18 months. There were no cases of seroreversion. Conclusions: (1) Children are not the main drivers of SARS-CoV-2 household transmission. (2) They maintain SARS-CoV-2 antibodies for up to 18 months after infection and the titers are similar between symptomatic and asymptomatic children.