Incidence Rates of Medically Attended COVID-19 in Infants Less Than 6 Months of Age. Issue 4 (5th January 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Griffin, Isabel; Irving, Stephanie A.; Arriola, Carmen Sofia; Campbell, Angela P.; Li, De-Kun; Dawood, Fatimah S.; Doughty-Skierski, Caroline; Ferber, Jeannette R.; Ferguson, Nickolas; Hadden, Louise; Henderson, Jillian T.; Juergens, Mary; Kancharla, Venkatesh; Naleway, Allison L.; Newes-Adeyi, Gabriella; Nicholson, Erin; Odouli, Roxana; Reichle, Lawrence; Sanyang, Mo; Woodworth, Kate; Munoz, Flor M.
• Is Part Of: Pediatric infectious disease journal. Volume 42:Issue 4(2023)
• Page Start: 315
• Page End: 320
• Publication Date: 2023-01-05
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- coronavirus disease 2019 -- SARS-CoV-2 -- infants; Communicable diseases in children -- Periodicals; Infection in children -- Periodicals; 618.929
• DOI: 10.1097/INF.0000000000003823
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0891-3668

Abstract

Abstract : Background: Studies suggest infants may be at increased risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) relative to older children, but few data exist regarding the incidence of COVID-19 episodes and associated risk factors. We estimate incidence rates and describe characteristics associated with medically attended COVID-19 episodes among infants younger than 6 months of age. Methods: We analyzed electronic medical record data from a cohort of infants born March 1, 2020–February 28, 2021. Data from 3 health care delivery systems included demographic characteristics, maternal and infant outpatient visit and hospitalization diagnoses and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2) test results. Medically attended COVID-19 episodes were defined by positive SARS-CoV-2 clinical tests and/or COVID-19 diagnosis codes during medical care visits. Unadjusted and site-adjusted incidence rates by infant month of age, low and high SARS-CoV-2 circulation periods and maternal COVID-19 diagnosis were calculated. Results: Among 18, 192 infants <6 months of age whose mothers received prenatal care within the 3 systems, 173 (1.0%) had medically attended COVID-19 episodes. Incidence rates were highest among infants under 1 month of age (2.0 per 1000 person-weeks) and 1 month (2.0 per 1000 person-weeks) compared with older infants. Incidence rates were also higher for infants born to women with postpartum COVID-19 compared with women without known COVID-19 and women diagnosed with COVID-19 during pregnancy. Conclusions: Infants of women with postpartum COVID-19 had a higher risk of medically attended COVID-19 than infants born to mothers who were diagnosed during pregnancy or never diagnosed underscoring the importance of COVID-19 prevention measures for their household members and caregivers to prevent infections in infants.