Abstract
Objectives
To describe the clinical and laboratory profile of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infected neonates.
Methods
This is a review of hospital records, conducted in a tertiary care public hospital. Medical records of neonates born from 1 April, 2020 to 31 May, 2020 were reviewed. Women admitted in labor were screened for SARS-CoV-2 infection based on the guidelines issued by Indian Council for Medical Research. Neonates were tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection once mother tested positive, which was after day 2 of life. Demographic, clinical features, laboratory tests and chest radiographs of SARS-CoV-2 infected neonates were reviewed and neonates were telephonically followed up till the age of 2 months.
Results
Out of 1229 mothers, 185 tested positive (15.05%); 12 neonates (6.48%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. All neonates were exclusively breastfed. Symptoms, if any, were mild and self-limiting. Serum lactate dehydrogenase and liver enzymes were elevated. All neonates were healthy and thriving well on follow-up.
Conclusion
SARS-CoV-2 infected neonates are mostly asymptomatic and thrive well on exclusive breastfeeding.
Keywords: Breastfeeding, COVID-19, Management, Outcome
Footnotes
Ethics clearance
Institutional Ethics Committee Human Research, Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and General Hospital; No: IEC/28/20 dated June 11, 2020.
Funding
None
Competing interest
None stated.
References
- 1.Dhir SK, Kumar J, Meena J, Kumar P. Clinical features and outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection in neonates: A systematic review. J Trop Pediatr. 2020;0:1–14. doi: 10.1093/tropej/fmaa059. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 2.Indian Council for Medical Research. Testing strategy [Internet]. Accessed August 16, 2020. Available from https://www.icmr.gov.in/cteststrat.html
- 3.Chawla D, Chirla D, Dalwai S, et al. Perinatal-Neonatal Management of COVID-19 Infection — Guidelines of the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI), National Neonatology Forum of India (NNF), and Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) Indian Pediatr. 2020;57:536–48. doi: 10.1007/s13312-020-1852-4. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 4.Kotlyar A, Grechukhina O, Chen A, et al. Vertical transmission of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2020, Jul 31. [Epub ahead of print] [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed]
- 5.Wang C, Zhou YH, Yang HX, Poon LC. Intrauterine vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2: What we know so far. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2020;55:724–25. doi: 10.1002/uog.22045. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 6.De Bernardo G, Giordano M, Zollo G, et al. The clinical course of SARS-CoV-2 positive neonates. J Perinatol. 2020, Jul 6. [Epub ahead of print] [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed]
- 7.Henry B, Benoit S, de Oliveira MH, et al. Laboratory abnormalities in children with mild and severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): A pooled analysis and review. Clin Biochem. 2020;81:1–8. doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2020.05.012. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 8.Henry B, Aggarwal G, Wong J, et al. Lactate dehydrogenase levels predict coronavirus disease 2019 (CoVid — 19) severity and mortality: A pooled analysis. Am J Emerg Med. 2020;38:1722–26. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2020.05.073. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 9.WHO. Breastfeeding advice during COVID-19 outbreak [Internet]. Accessed August 16, 2020. Available from http://www.emro.who.int/nutrition/nutrition-infocus/breastfeeding-advice-during-CoVid-19-outbreak.html
- 10.UNICEF. Breastfeeding during the CoVid-19 pandemic [Internet]. Accessed August 16, 2020. Available from https://www.unicef.org/eap/breastfeeding-during-CoVid-19
- 11.Salvatore CM, Han JY, Acker KP, et al. Neonatal management and outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic: An observation cohort study. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2020 Jul 23. [Epub ahead of print]. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed]
- 12.Wang S, Guo L, Chen L, et al. A case report of neonatal 2019 coronavirus disease in China. Clin Infect Dis. 2020;71:853–57. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaa225. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 13.Chen Y, Peng H, Wang L, et al. Infants born to mothers with a new coronavirus (COVID-19) Front Pediatr. 2020;8:1–5. doi: 10.3389/fped.2020.00001. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]