Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in Children Treated at a Pediatric Referral Hospital in Brazil During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background - Although we have accumulated knowledge along with the pandemic, there are still gaps, including the impact of seasonal conditions of SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses. Methods - A retrospective cohort study that aimed to describe the etiological diagnosis and compare the clinical presentation and outcomes of children with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Results – 1,027 children diagnosed with SARS were evaluated. In 926 (90.2%) children who collected RT-PCR Covid, 2.3% had a positive result. A total of 365 (35.4%) of the children underwent collection for Viral Panel exam, with identification of the etiology in 28%. There was a statistically significant difference in the age of patients infected with RSV and other viruses. The length of hospital stay was statistically different (p:0.006) when comparing groups of rhinovirus with COVID or RSV. Conclusion - This study is a pioneer in conducting large-scale testing for respiratory viruses in pediatric patients during the pandemic and contributes to the knowledge about the etiology of SARS in childhood, and this disease's relationship with the seasonality of respiratory viruses.