Study Surprisingly Finds Omicron Variant Causes More Serious Issues in Infants, Children and Teens Compared to Delta!
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Feb 06, 2025 2 hours, 35 minutes ago
Medical News: The Hidden Dangers of Omicron in the Youngest Patients
Since its emergence, the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 has been widely perceived as a milder form of COVID-19 compared to previous strains. However, a surprising new study conducted by researchers from the University of Ioannina in Greece suggests otherwise - especially when it comes to infants, children, and teenagers. The findings, which analyzed data from pediatric COVID-19 cases, indicate that Omicron infections led to more severe cases, prolonged hospital stays, and increased rates of complications compared to the Delta variant.
Study Surprisingly Finds Omicron Variant Causes More Serious Issues in Infants, Children
and Teens Compared to Delta! Image: Old Stockshots
A Comprehensive Look at Pediatric COVID-19 Cases
Researchers from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ioannina and the Department of Pediatrics at the University Hospital of Ioannina conducted a thorough retrospective analysis of pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations. They examined 254 children admitted to a tertiary referral hospital in northwest Greece. The study categorized the cases based on the dominant SARS-CoV-2 variant at the time of infection, allowing for a comparative analysis of symptoms, severity, and outcomes.
This
Medical News report delves into the key findings, shedding light on the unexpected risks associated with Omicron in younger age groups.
Key Findings: Omicron vs. Delta in Children
The study revealed several critical differences between Omicron and Delta infections in children:
-Higher Rate of Hospitalization and Severe Symptoms - Despite Omicron’s reputation for being mild in adults, children infected with this variant were more likely to experience severe symptoms requiring hospitalization compared to those with Delta.
-Longer Hospital Stays - On average, children infected with Omicron required a median hospital stay of 10 days - longer than those infected with the Delta variant (4 days). Only the Wuhan strain had a similar duration of hospitalization at 9 days.
-Increased Gastrointestinal Symptoms - Omicron was associated with a higher incidence of gastrointestinal issues, including diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, affecting approximately 43% of hospitalized children.
-More Cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) - The study identified eight cases of MIS-C, a rare but severe complication associated with COVID-19. Of these cases, 75% exhibited anemia, 50% had lymphopenia (low lymphocyte count), and 25% experienced thrombocytopenia (low platelet count).
-Higher Frequency of Fever - Fever was a common symptom across all SARS-CoV-2 variants, but it was most frequently repor
ted among Omicron cases, affecting 91% of the children studied.
Blood and Hematological Findings
Bloodwork from hospitalized children further revealed concerning trends:
-Neutropenia (Low Neutrophil Count) - 30% of children infected with Omicron had neutropenia, compared to 23% in Delta cases.
-Lymphopenia (Low Lymphocyte Count) - More common among older children and teens, this condition affected 31% of Omicron patients.
-Elevated Inflammatory Markers - Increased levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and D-dimers, markers of inflammation and potential clotting issues, were observed in children infected with Omicron.
Age-Based Variations in Symptoms and Severity
The study also examined the impact of COVID-19 across different pediatric age groups:
-Infants (0-1 year old) - The most common issue was neutropenia, affecting over 25% of hospitalized infants. Poor feeding and fever were also prevalent.
-Children (1-5 years old) - This group saw the highest incidence of gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea and vomiting.
-Older Children and Adolescents (6-16 years old) - These patients were more likely to develop lymphopenia and experienced more prolonged fever episodes.
-A Shift in Risk Perception: Why Omicron Might Be Worse for Children
The study suggests several potential reasons why Omicron may pose a greater risk to children compared to Delta:
-Differences in Viral Entry Mechanisms - Unlike Delta, Omicron primarily enters human cells via an alternative pathway that allows for rapid replication in the upper respiratory tract, making children - whose immune systems are still developing - more vulnerable to severe symptoms.
-Wider Exposure in Young Age Groups - With Omicron being highly transmissible, more children became infected, leading to an increase in hospital admissions and severe cases.
-Potential for Underdiagnosed Complications - Some children may have undiagnosed underlying conditions that put them at higher risk for severe COVID-19.
Implications for Parents and Healthcare Providers
Given the findings of this study, parents and healthcare providers should remain vigilant about Omicron infections in children. While many cases remain mild, the evidence suggests that a significant proportion of young patients require hospitalization, and some develop severe complications such as MIS-C.
Conclusion
The belief that Omicron is inherently mild does not appear to hold true for pediatric patients. The study’s findings indicate that Omicron infections in children are associated with longer hospital stays, more severe symptoms, and an increased incidence of inflammatory and hematological complications compared to Delta. While mortality remains low, the need for prolonged medical care underscores the importance of continued vigilance, preventive measures, and vaccination efforts.
The study findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal: Diseases.
https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9721/13/2/48
For the latest COVID-19 News, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/austrian-study-finds-that-sars-cov-2-omicron-strains-exhibits-greater-cardiotropism-than-previous-variants
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/study-reveals-neurological-dangers-of-mild-omicron-subvariants
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/eeg-patterns-reveal-psychiatric-risk-after-sars-cov-2-omicron-infection
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/liver-stress-detected-in-mild-and-asymptomatic-omicron-cases
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/omicron-variant-directly-penetrates-the-cns-via-the-olfactory-bulb-causing-inflammation-and-neuronal-damage
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/compared-to-earlier-sars-cov-2-variants,-omicron-causes-a-greater-degree-of-dysbiosis-of-the-intestinal-microbiota
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-covid-19-news-study-finds-that-omicron-variants-have-a-unique-ability-to-induce-cellular-senescence
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-news-pediatricians-in-japan-warn-that-omicron-variants-are-causing-high-number-of-seizures-and-unconsciousness-in-infected-children
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-news-sars-cov-2-delta-and-omicron-variants-display-enhanced-resistance-to-uv-light-compared-to-original-wuhan-strain
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/study-shockingly-shows-that-many-exposed-to-the-sars-cov-2-omicron-variant-exhibit-hematuria-and-proteinuria-early-signs-of-possible-kidney-damage
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/mice-study-shows-that-sars-cov-2-omicron-variant-can-still-cause-brain-infections-and-lymphoid-depletion-despite-being-milder
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-news-canadian-study-finds-that-omicron-is-causing-more-health-issues-in-children-contrary-to-the-fallacy-that-omicron-is-mild
Share
Tweet
Share
