Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in unvaccinated children hospitalized with COVID-19: An observational cohort study of pre-Omicron and Omicron variants era.

<h4>Purpose</h4>This study aimed to investigate the antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in children hospitalized due to COVID-19 during the era of pre-Omicron and Omicron variants.<h4>Methods</h4>This was a retrospective observational study conducted at a tertiary academic medical...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Rattapon Uppala, Phanthila Sitthikarnkha, Kiatichai Faksri, Pope Kosalaraksa, Leelawadee Techasatian, Nattakarn Tantawarak, Sysavanh Nanthavongsa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2024-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0297991
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850155726817722368
author Rattapon Uppala
Phanthila Sitthikarnkha
Kiatichai Faksri
Pope Kosalaraksa
Leelawadee Techasatian
Nattakarn Tantawarak
Sysavanh Nanthavongsa
author_facet Rattapon Uppala
Phanthila Sitthikarnkha
Kiatichai Faksri
Pope Kosalaraksa
Leelawadee Techasatian
Nattakarn Tantawarak
Sysavanh Nanthavongsa
author_sort Rattapon Uppala
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Purpose</h4>This study aimed to investigate the antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in children hospitalized due to COVID-19 during the era of pre-Omicron and Omicron variants.<h4>Methods</h4>This was a retrospective observational study conducted at a tertiary academic medical center in Thailand between June 2021 and August 2022. We collected the data of children aged under 18-year who were hospitalized from SARS-CoV-2 infection. After hospital discharge, we scheduled clinical follow-up 60 to 90 days post-infection clinical follow-up. We measured antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike protein receptor-binding domain in the serum during a follow-up visit and compared the mean difference of antibody levels between children infected with COVID-19 during the pre-Omicron and Omicron eras.<h4>Results</h4>A total of 119 children enrolled into the study. There were 58 and 61 children hospitalized due to COVID-19 during pre-Omicron and Omicron era, respectively. The median (interquartile range, IQR) of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in all cases was 206.1 (87.9-424.1) U/mL at follow-up. Children infected during pre-Omicron had SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels at follow-up higher than children infected during Omicron era [mean difference 292.57 U/mL, 95% CI 53.85-531.28, p = 0.017). There was no difference in SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels between the children based on gender, age, co-morbidities, chest radiograph classification, or diagnosis.<h4>Conclusions</h4>The antibodies response to SARS-CoV-2 infection was weaker during the Omicron era than previous variant of concern. Immunization strategies and policies should be implemented in children even if they had been previously infected.
format Article
id doaj-art-c104c5ba7ee0499dadac73a1b0bb7a69
institution OA Journals
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2024-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-c104c5ba7ee0499dadac73a1b0bb7a692025-08-20T02:24:47ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032024-01-01192e029799110.1371/journal.pone.0297991Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in unvaccinated children hospitalized with COVID-19: An observational cohort study of pre-Omicron and Omicron variants era.Rattapon UppalaPhanthila SitthikarnkhaKiatichai FaksriPope KosalaraksaLeelawadee TechasatianNattakarn TantawarakSysavanh Nanthavongsa<h4>Purpose</h4>This study aimed to investigate the antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in children hospitalized due to COVID-19 during the era of pre-Omicron and Omicron variants.<h4>Methods</h4>This was a retrospective observational study conducted at a tertiary academic medical center in Thailand between June 2021 and August 2022. We collected the data of children aged under 18-year who were hospitalized from SARS-CoV-2 infection. After hospital discharge, we scheduled clinical follow-up 60 to 90 days post-infection clinical follow-up. We measured antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike protein receptor-binding domain in the serum during a follow-up visit and compared the mean difference of antibody levels between children infected with COVID-19 during the pre-Omicron and Omicron eras.<h4>Results</h4>A total of 119 children enrolled into the study. There were 58 and 61 children hospitalized due to COVID-19 during pre-Omicron and Omicron era, respectively. The median (interquartile range, IQR) of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in all cases was 206.1 (87.9-424.1) U/mL at follow-up. Children infected during pre-Omicron had SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels at follow-up higher than children infected during Omicron era [mean difference 292.57 U/mL, 95% CI 53.85-531.28, p = 0.017). There was no difference in SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels between the children based on gender, age, co-morbidities, chest radiograph classification, or diagnosis.<h4>Conclusions</h4>The antibodies response to SARS-CoV-2 infection was weaker during the Omicron era than previous variant of concern. Immunization strategies and policies should be implemented in children even if they had been previously infected.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0297991
spellingShingle Rattapon Uppala
Phanthila Sitthikarnkha
Kiatichai Faksri
Pope Kosalaraksa
Leelawadee Techasatian
Nattakarn Tantawarak
Sysavanh Nanthavongsa
Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in unvaccinated children hospitalized with COVID-19: An observational cohort study of pre-Omicron and Omicron variants era.
PLoS ONE
title Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in unvaccinated children hospitalized with COVID-19: An observational cohort study of pre-Omicron and Omicron variants era.
title_full Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in unvaccinated children hospitalized with COVID-19: An observational cohort study of pre-Omicron and Omicron variants era.
title_fullStr Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in unvaccinated children hospitalized with COVID-19: An observational cohort study of pre-Omicron and Omicron variants era.
title_full_unstemmed Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in unvaccinated children hospitalized with COVID-19: An observational cohort study of pre-Omicron and Omicron variants era.
title_short Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in unvaccinated children hospitalized with COVID-19: An observational cohort study of pre-Omicron and Omicron variants era.
title_sort antibodies against sars cov 2 in unvaccinated children hospitalized with covid 19 an observational cohort study of pre omicron and omicron variants era
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0297991
work_keys_str_mv AT rattaponuppala antibodiesagainstsarscov2inunvaccinatedchildrenhospitalizedwithcovid19anobservationalcohortstudyofpreomicronandomicronvariantsera
AT phanthilasitthikarnkha antibodiesagainstsarscov2inunvaccinatedchildrenhospitalizedwithcovid19anobservationalcohortstudyofpreomicronandomicronvariantsera
AT kiatichaifaksri antibodiesagainstsarscov2inunvaccinatedchildrenhospitalizedwithcovid19anobservationalcohortstudyofpreomicronandomicronvariantsera
AT popekosalaraksa antibodiesagainstsarscov2inunvaccinatedchildrenhospitalizedwithcovid19anobservationalcohortstudyofpreomicronandomicronvariantsera
AT leelawadeetechasatian antibodiesagainstsarscov2inunvaccinatedchildrenhospitalizedwithcovid19anobservationalcohortstudyofpreomicronandomicronvariantsera
AT nattakarntantawarak antibodiesagainstsarscov2inunvaccinatedchildrenhospitalizedwithcovid19anobservationalcohortstudyofpreomicronandomicronvariantsera
AT sysavanhnanthavongsa antibodiesagainstsarscov2inunvaccinatedchildrenhospitalizedwithcovid19anobservationalcohortstudyofpreomicronandomicronvariantsera