Clinical Picture of SARS-Cov-2 Infection in Children in Guanajuato State, Mexico: A Cross-Sectional Study

Aims: To compare the signs and symptoms in COVID-19 and another respiratory virus, among children.

Study Design: A cross-sectional study was designed based on data from the National Epidemiological Surveillance System of the General Directorate of Epidemiology.

Place and Duration of Study: All registries in database of confirmed and discarded cases of COVID-19 from Guanajuato State, Mexico in the period March-July 2020.

Methodology: A confirmed case was one with clinical data mainly fever, cough and dyspnea, who had traveled to a country affected by the pandemic or had had contact with a confirmed case, and a positive rRT-PCR test for SARS -CoV-2. The cases discarded were those with the negative rRT-PCR test. The presence of clinical data among those under 18 years of age, of confirmed and discarded cases in the state of Guanajuato, was compared with Z for two proportions and P-value.

Results: The sample included 446 confirmed cases and 2,134 discarded cases. The average age of those confirmed was 9.60 ± 5.46 years and 8.01 ± 5.39 years, among those discarded (P <.05). In both groups, male predominated (P = .91). Fever, myalgia, arthralgia, and conjunctivitis show statistically significant differences between confirmed and discarded cases (P < .05).

Conclusion: There are not differences in signs and symptoms in COVID-19 and another respiratory virus. It is concluded that since the characteristics of COVID-19 are like the ones of other viral infections, the diagnosis cannot be made merely based on signs and symptoms.