US: CDC issues guidance on how to recognise rare COVID-linked syndrome in children

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on May 14 issued guidance to doctors on how to recognise and report cases of ‘life-threatening’ syndrome in children associated with COVID-19. As countries including the US, France, Italy, Spain and Britain have reported the syndrome, the authorities believe that the disease caused by coronavirus could pose a greater risk to children than had been understood. 

According to the CDC, the syndrome called Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome shares symptoms with toxic shock and Kawasaki disease including fever, rashes, swollen glands and in severe cases, heart inflammation. As per the guidance, the syndrome mostly occurs in children under 21 with symptoms like fever, evidence of inflammation, illness severe enough to require hospitalisation and impairment of multiple organs such as heart, kidneys, blood vessels, gut, skin and nerves. 

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The CDC in the guidance also reportedly said that to meet criteria, doctors should rule out other plausible diagnoses. The agency also said that children with the condition should also test positive for current infection with the novel coronavirus or antibodies demonstrating a recent infection. As per reports, several researchers also suggested that coronavirus family might even trigger Kawasaki disease. 

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Possible cases in France, Italy and NY

Meanwhile, New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, reportedly said that the state has reported 100 possible cases and already lost three children, including a 5-year-old boy, 7-year-old boy and an 18-year-old girl. Mayor Bill de Blasio also reported that New York City has 52 cases with an additional 10 cases pending. Authorities in Italy reportedly said that that Hospital Papa Giovanni XXIII admitted ten children with the syndrome, including eight who tested positive for coronavirus antibodies. 

The French researchers also reported Kawasaki disease-like symptoms in 17 children admitted to a Paris hospital. According to a media report, last week, the informal panel called that International PICU-COVID-19 Collaboration also released a consensus statement defining the condition. Dr Mary Beth Son reportedly also said that in several cases, children present with shock also had some features of Kawasaki disease. She further informed that some were even present with signs of a cytokine storm. In some geographic areas, there has also been an uptick in Kawasaki disease cases in children who don’t have a shock, Dr Mary said. 

(Image: Rep/Unsplash) 

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