TY - JOUR
T1 - Age-specific SARS-CoV-2 transmission differed from human rhinovirus in households during the early COVID-19 pandemic
AU - Boom, Trisja T.
AU - de Hoog, Marieke L.A.
AU - Westerhof, Ilse
AU - Jaddoe, Vincent
AU - Heuvelman, Valerie D.
AU - Fourie, Elandri
AU - Sluiter-Post, Judith G.C.
AU - Badoux, Paul
AU - Euser, Sjoerd
AU - Herpers, Bjorn
AU - Sanders, Elisabeth A.M.
AU - Eggink, Dirk
AU - Reusken, Chantal
AU - Bont, Louis J.
AU - Wildenbeest, Joanne G.
AU - van Houten, Marlies A.
AU - Duijts, Liesbeth
AU - Bruijning-Verhagen, Patricia C.J.L.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Authors
PY - 2024/8
Y1 - 2024/8
N2 - Objectives: Children are generally considered main drivers of transmission for respiratory viruses, but the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 challenged this paradigm. Human rhinovirus (RV) continued to co-circulate throughout the pandemic, allowing for direct comparison of age-specific infectivity and susceptibility within households between these viruses during a time of low SARS-CoV-2 population immunity. Methods: Households with children were prospectively monitored for ≥23 weeks between August 2020 and July 2021. Upon onset of respiratory symptoms in a household, an outbreak study was initiated, including questionnaires and repeated nasal self-sampling in all household members. Swabs were tested by PCR. Age-stratified within-household secondary attack rates (SARs) were compared between SARS-CoV-2 and RV. Results: A total of 307 households participated, including 582 children and 627 adults. Overall, SAR was lower for SARS-CoV-2 than for RV (aOR 0.55) and age distributions differed between both viruses (p < 0.001). Following household exposure, children were significantly less likely to become infected with SARS-CoV-2 compared to RV (aOR 0.16), whereas this was opposite in adults (aOR 1.71). Conclusion: In households, age-specific susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 and RV differs and drives differences in household transmission between these pathogens. This highlights the importance of characterizing age-specific transmission risks, particularly for emerging infections, to guide appropriate infection control interventions.
AB - Objectives: Children are generally considered main drivers of transmission for respiratory viruses, but the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 challenged this paradigm. Human rhinovirus (RV) continued to co-circulate throughout the pandemic, allowing for direct comparison of age-specific infectivity and susceptibility within households between these viruses during a time of low SARS-CoV-2 population immunity. Methods: Households with children were prospectively monitored for ≥23 weeks between August 2020 and July 2021. Upon onset of respiratory symptoms in a household, an outbreak study was initiated, including questionnaires and repeated nasal self-sampling in all household members. Swabs were tested by PCR. Age-stratified within-household secondary attack rates (SARs) were compared between SARS-CoV-2 and RV. Results: A total of 307 households participated, including 582 children and 627 adults. Overall, SAR was lower for SARS-CoV-2 than for RV (aOR 0.55) and age distributions differed between both viruses (p < 0.001). Following household exposure, children were significantly less likely to become infected with SARS-CoV-2 compared to RV (aOR 0.16), whereas this was opposite in adults (aOR 1.71). Conclusion: In households, age-specific susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 and RV differs and drives differences in household transmission between these pathogens. This highlights the importance of characterizing age-specific transmission risks, particularly for emerging infections, to guide appropriate infection control interventions.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85197751594&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jinf.2024.106218
DO - 10.1016/j.jinf.2024.106218
M3 - Article
C2 - 38950866
AN - SCOPUS:85197751594
SN - 0163-4453
VL - 89
JO - Journal of Infection
JF - Journal of Infection
IS - 2
M1 - 106218
ER -
