Prevalence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in Asymptomatic Surgical Pediatric Patients in Makkah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objectives: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is generally asymptomatic in children but is still contagious. This study estimated the prevalence of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in pediatric surgical patients in a tertiary hospital in Makkah city. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving children less than 18 years of age who were scheduled for surgical procedures under sedation or general anesthesia at the Security Forces Hospital in Makkah (SFHM) between August 1, 2020, and August 31, 2021. Before admission, each patient was screened for symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 and subsequently categorized as a low or high-risk patient. Asymptomatic, low-risk patients underwent nasopharyngeal swab via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results: A total of 497 asymptomatic pediatric patients were included in this study. The overall prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 positive cases was 1.4%. About 66% of the sample patients were aged eight or less, 66% were males, 76% had elective surgery, and 79% had surgery with general anesthesia. Conclusion: Screening for SARS-CoV-2 without swabbing did not appear to exclude all positive cases.