Age-specific SARS-CoV-2 transmission differed from human rhinovirus in households during the early COVID-19 pandemic

Trisja T. Boom; Marieke L.A. de Hoog; Ilse Westerhof; Vincent Jaddoe; Valerie D. Heuvelman; Elandri Fourie; Judith G.C. Sluiter-Post; Paul Badoux; Sjoerd Euser; Bjorn Herpers; Elisabeth A.M. Sanders; Dirk Eggink; Chantal Reusken; Louis J. Bont; Joanne G. Wildenbeest; Marlies A. van Houten; Liesbeth Duijts; Patricia C.J.L. Bruijning-Verhagen

doi:10.1016/j.jinf.2024.106218

Age-specific SARS-CoV-2 transmission differed from human rhinovirus in households during the early COVID-19 pandemic

Trisja T. Boom
, Marieke L.A. de Hoog^*
, Ilse Westerhof
, Vincent Jaddoe
, Valerie D. Heuvelman
, Elandri Fourie
, Judith G.C. Sluiter-Post
, Paul Badoux
, Sjoerd Euser
, Bjorn Herpers
, Elisabeth A.M. Sanders
, Dirk Eggink
, Chantal Reusken
, Louis J. Bont
, Joanne G. Wildenbeest
, Marlies A. van Houten
, Liesbeth Duijts
, Patricia C.J.L. Bruijning-Verhagen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Pediatrics

Utrecht University
Spaarne Gasthuis
Regional Public Health Laboratory Kennemerland
National Institute of Public Health and the Environment

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

27 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Article number	106218
Journal	Journal of Infection
Volume	89
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinf.2024.106218
Publication status	Published - Aug 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Authors

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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Cite this

Boom, T. T., de Hoog, M. L. A., Westerhof, I., Jaddoe, V., Heuvelman, V. D., Fourie, E., Sluiter-Post, J. G. C., Badoux, P., Euser, S., Herpers, B., Sanders, E. A. M., Eggink, D., Reusken, C., Bont, L. J., Wildenbeest, J. G., van Houten, M. A., Duijts, L., & Bruijning-Verhagen, P. C. J. L. (2024). Age-specific SARS-CoV-2 transmission differed from human rhinovirus in households during the early COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Infection, 89(2), Article 106218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinf.2024.106218

@article{ad17972d1a4a4c9e8e1c0ec9e59aa05c,

title = "Age-specific SARS-CoV-2 transmission differed from human rhinovirus in households during the early COVID-19 pandemic",

abstract = "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.",

author = "Boom, \{Trisja T.\} and \{de Hoog\}, \{Marieke L.A.\} and Ilse Westerhof and Vincent Jaddoe and Heuvelman, \{Valerie D.\} and Elandri Fourie and Sluiter-Post, \{Judith G.C.\} and Paul Badoux and Sjoerd Euser and Bjorn Herpers and Sanders, \{Elisabeth A.M.\} and Dirk Eggink and Chantal Reusken and Bont, \{Louis J.\} and Wildenbeest, \{Joanne G.\} and \{van Houten\}, \{Marlies A.\} and Liesbeth Duijts and Bruijning-Verhagen, \{Patricia C.J.L.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 The Authors",

year = "2024",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1016/j.jinf.2024.106218",

language = "English",

volume = "89",

journal = "Journal of Infection",

issn = "0163-4453",

publisher = "W.B. Saunders",

number = "2",

}

Boom, TT, de Hoog, MLA, Westerhof, I, Jaddoe, V, Heuvelman, VD, Fourie, E, Sluiter-Post, JGC, Badoux, P, Euser, S, Herpers, B, Sanders, EAM, Eggink, D, Reusken, C, Bont, LJ, Wildenbeest, JG, van Houten, MA, Duijts, L & Bruijning-Verhagen, PCJL 2024, 'Age-specific SARS-CoV-2 transmission differed from human rhinovirus in households during the early COVID-19 pandemic', Journal of Infection, vol. 89, no. 2, 106218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinf.2024.106218

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.

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 - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85197751594

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 -

Age-specific SARS-CoV-2 transmission differed from human rhinovirus in households during the early COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

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