The COVID-19 Prevalence among Children: Hypotheses for Low Infection Rate and Few Severe Forms among This Age Group in Sub-Saharan Africa | Zendy

Sylvain Raoul Simeni Njonnou | Zendy; Noumedem Anangmo Christelle Nadia | Zendy; Fernando Kemta Lekpa | Zendy; Diomède Noukeu Njinkui | Zendy; Dominique Enyama | Zendy; Christian Ngongang Ouankou | Zendy; Eric V. Balti | Zendy; Esther Astrid Mbono Samba Eloumba | Zendy; Jean Roger Moulion Tapouh | Zendy; Siméon Pierre Choukem | Zendy

Open Access

The COVID-19 Prevalence among Children: Hypotheses for Low Infection Rate and Few Severe Forms among This Age Group in Sub-Saharan Africa

Author(s) -

Sylvain Raoul Simeni Njonnou,

Noumedem Anangmo Christelle Nadia,

Fernando Kemta Lekpa,

Diomède Noukeu Njinkui,

Dominique Enyama,

Christian Ngongang Ouankou,

Eric V. Balti,

Esther Astrid Mbono Samba Eloumba,

Jean Roger Moulion Tapouh,

Siméon Pierre Choukem

Publication year - 2021

Publication title -

interdisciplinary perspectives on infectious diseases

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 0.593

H-Index - 28

eISSN - 1687-7098

pISSN - 1687-708X

DOI - 10.1155/2021/4258414

Subject(s) - medicine , malaria , covid-19 , population , pandemic , environmental health , neglected tropical diseases , disease , demography , pediatrics , immunology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , sociology

Despite some cases of severe or critical manifestations of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) described among children, the prevalence of this infection in the pediatric population is quite low worldwide, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Current data suggest indeed that, independent of the population considered overall, severe and critical cases of COVID-19 are rare among children. This observation prompted us to discuss the possible hypotheses which could explain the low prevalence of COVID-19 among children; amongst others, we discuss (1) immunomodulation by the Bacillus Calmette–Guerin vaccine or by some parasitic infections such as malaria, schistosomiasis, and helminthiasis and (2) cross immunization with other coronaviruses commonly found in the sub-Saharan African setting.

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