The effects of the silence on south African children and adolescents against a global alert on the newly identified coronavirus variant: Omicron

Lima, Danielly Gonçalves Sombra; Figueiredo, Thânia Maria Rodrigues; Pereira, Yara Talita Gomes; Almino, Maria Auxiliadora Ferreira Brito; Pereira, Lilianny Medeiros; Menezes, Hildson Leandro de; Araújo, Jaime Emanuel Brito; Gonçalves, Jucier; Vieira, Nélio Barreto; Carvalho, Sionara Melo Figueiredo de; Machado, Sávio Samuel Feitosa; Cassiano, Cícera Janielly de Matos; Dionizio, Barbara Silveira; Pinheiro, Raul Cesar Fortaleza; Feitosa, Pedro Walisson Gomes; Filho, Francisco Helder Pereira; Lima, Nádia Nara Rolim; Neto, Modesto Leite Rolim

doi:10.1016/j.pedn.2021.11.032

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 2 publications

(1 reference statement)

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“…Furthermore, a comparison of various Omicron strains revealed its origin in late September or early October, indicating that it is probably spreading more slowly than as being considered presently ( Kupferschmidt, 2021a ; Quarleri et al, 2021 ). In South Africa, since the start of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, children aged 10–19 years accounted for 9.2% of total COVID-19 cases, and this population is vulnerable to Omicron risk also ( Lima et al, 2021 ).…”

Section: Emergence Of Omicronmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant, salient features, high global health concerns and strategies to counter it amid ongoing COVID-19 pandemic

Khandia

Singhal

Alqahtani

et al. 2022

Environmental Research

206

152

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Since the appearance in the late of December 2019, SARS-CoV-2 is rapidly evolving and mutating continuously, giving rise to various variants with variable degrees of infectivity and lethality. The virus that initially appeared in China later mutated several times, wreaking havoc and claiming many lives worldwide amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. After Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta variants, the most recently emerged variant of concern (VOC) is the Omicron (B.1.1.529) that has evolved due to the accumulation of high numbers of mutations especially in the spike protein, raising concerns for its ability to evade from pre-existing immunity acquired through vaccination or natural infection as well as overpowering antibodies-based therapies. Several theories are on the surface to explain how the Omicron has gathered such a high number of mutations within less time. Few of them are higher mutation rates within a subgroup of population and then its introduction to a larger population, long term persistence and evolution of the virus in immune-compromised patients, and epizootic infection in animals from humans, where under different immune pressures the virus mutated and then got reintroduced to humans. Multifaceted approach including rapid diagnosis, genome analysis of emerging variants, ramping up of vaccination drives and receiving booster doses, efficacy testing of vaccines and immunotherapies against newly emerged variants, updating the available vaccines, designing of multivalent vaccines able to generate hybrid immunity, up-gradation of medical facilities and strict implementation of adequate prevention and control measures need to be given high priority to handle the on-going SARS-CoV-2 pandemic successfully.

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Section: Emergence Of Omicronmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant, salient features, high global health concerns and strategies to counter it amid ongoing COVID-19 pandemic

Khandia

Singhal

Alqahtani

et al. 2022

Environmental Research

206

152

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In contrast, pediatricians observed a surge in pediatric hospitalizations due to COVID-19 during the omicron wave (5,10,11). In the United States and South Africa, the peak of child hospitalizations resulted in a patient load that was four times higher than during the delta wave, with the largest increase occurring in children under 4 years of age (12,13).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant Causes an Unprecedented Surge in Children Hospitalizations and Distinct Clinical Presentation Compared to the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 (Delta) Variant

et al. 2022

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BackgroundIn the midst of successive waves of SARS-CoV-2 variants, the B.1.1.529 (omicron) variant has recently caused a surge in pediatric infections and hospitalizations. This study aimed to describe and compare the symptoms, explorations, treatment and evolution of COVID-19 in hospitalized children during the successive B.1.617.2 (delta) and B.1.1.529 (omicron) waves.MethodsThis observational study was performed in the Pediatric Pulmonology Department of a University Hospital in Paris, France. All hospitalized children aged between 0 and 18 years who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in nasopharyngeal swabs from July 15th to December 15th 2021 (delta wave), and from December 15th 2021 to February 28th 2022 (omicron wave) were included.ResultsIn total, 53 children were included, 14 (26.4%) during the delta wave and 39 (73.6%) during the omicron wave (almost three times as many hospitalizations in half the time during the latter wave). During the omicron wave, hospitalized patients were mostly aged < 5 years (90 vs. 71% of all the children during omicron and delta waves, respectively), and tended to have fewer underlying conditions (56 vs. 79% during omicron and delta waves, respectively, p = 0.20). The omicron variant was also responsible for a different clinical presentation when compared to the delta variant, with significantly higher and often poorly tolerated temperatures (p = 0.03) and increased digestive symptoms (p = 0.01). None of the three patients who were older than 12 years were fully vaccinated.ConclusionThe dramatic increase in the hospitalization of children with COVID-19 and the modification of the clinical presentation between the latest delta and omicron waves require pediatricians to remain vigilant. It should also encourage caregivers to ensure vaccination in children older than 5 years, for whom the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine has been deemed safe, immunogenic, and effective.

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“…It has an unusually high number of approximately 30 amino acid changes in the spike protein compared to the original severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from Wuhan, including those with known phenotypic impact (increase in transmission, immune evasion, and transmissibility), but also many mutations whose significance is unclear. The variant has already been detected in several countries worldwide, including Germany [2,3]. Three thousand one hundred ninety-eight coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases are assigned to Omicron to date (December 23, 2021).…”

Section: To the Editormentioning

confidence: 99%

Omicron and the Role in Children

Bittmann¹

2022

Int J Clin Pediatr

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The effects of the silence on south African children and adolescents against a global alert on the newly identified coronavirus variant: Omicron

Cited by 7 publications

References 2 publications

Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant, salient features, high global health concerns and strategies to counter it amid ongoing COVID-19 pandemic

Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant, salient features, high global health concerns and strategies to counter it amid ongoing COVID-19 pandemic

SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant Causes an Unprecedented Surge in Children Hospitalizations and Distinct Clinical Presentation Compared to the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 (Delta) Variant

Omicron and the Role in Children

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