CAPE TOWN- Two studies conducted in the United States found that at least 285 previously healthy children and adolescents developed a hyperinflammatory syndrome which could be associated with Covid-19.
The multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) causes damage to multiple organ systems and the condition has the potential to cause long-term or permanent damage.
The
two
studies
that were published online in the New England Journal of Medicine in combination found that among the 285 cases of MIS-C recorded between March and May, six children had died.
One of the studies focused on the New York area which is considered as an epicenter of the outbreak in the US.
Initial reports around the world indicated that children typically exhibit mild Covid-19 symptoms and have lower rates of hospitalization and death than adults. However, last month, the United Kingdom and many other European countries reported the occurrence of a hyperinflammatory process in children.
Some doctors have likened features similar to Kawasaki’s disease, Kawasaki’s disease shock syndrome, and toxic shock syndrome, possibly related to Covid-19.
Kawasaki disease is a rare condition in children that can cause swelling and heart problems. Patients with this disease were more likely to be younger than 5 years .
Last month the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a national health advisory to report on cases meeting the criteria for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children.
While the average age for patients in the focus study was 8-years-old, further research could explore whether a post–Covid-19 inflammatory syndrome exists in adults.
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