SynthesisPloS one2024
Susceptibility and infectiousness of SARS-CoV-2 in children versus adults, by variant (wild-type, alpha, delta): A systematic review and meta-analysis of household contact studies.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed.
- Article
- A narrative review of SARS-CoV-2 variants and long COVID.Journal of thoracic disease · 2026Review
- Dynamic Changes in Antibodies and Proteome in Breast Milk of Mothers Infected with Wild-Type SARS-CoV-2 and Omicron: A Longitudinal Study.Nutrients · 2025Article
- Age-dependent ACE2/TMPRSS2 expression and SARS-CoV-2 household transmission in Gran Canaria.PloS one · 2025Observational
- A systematic review on factors influencing immunisation adherence among children under 12 years of age.Health SA = SA Gesondheid · 2025Article
- Polymorphisms in the ACE I/D (Tropical medicine and infectious disease · 2024Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
21 authors.
Funding
Abstract
importanceUnderstanding the susceptibility and infectiousness of children and adolescents in comparison to adults is important to appreciate their role in the COVID-19 pandemic.
objectiveTo determine SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and infectiousness of children and adolescents with adults as comparator for three variants (wild-type, alpha, delta) in the household setting. We aimed to identify the effects independent of vaccination or prior infection. DATA SOURCES: We searched EMBASE, PubMed and medRxiv up to January 2022. STUDY SELECTION: Two reviewers independently identified studies providing secondary household attack rates (SAR) for SARS-CoV-2 infection in children (0-9 years), adolescents (10-19 years) or both compared with adults (20 years and older). DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two reviewers independently extracted data, assessed risk of bias and performed a random-effects meta-analysis model. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Odds ratio (OR) for SARS-CoV-2 infection comparing children and adolescents with adults stratified by wild-type (ancestral type), alpha, and delta variant, respectively. Susceptibility was defined as the secondary attack rate (SAR) among susceptible household contacts irrespective of the age of the index case. Infectiousness was defined as the SAR irrespective of the age of household contacts when children/adolescents/adults were the index case.
resultsSusceptibility analysis: We included 27 studies (308,681 contacts), for delta only one (large) study was available. Compared to adults, children and adolescents were less susceptible to the wild-type and delta, but equally susceptible to alpha. Infectiousness analysis: We included 21 studies (201,199 index cases). Compared to adults, children and adolescents were less infectious when infected with the wild-type and delta. Alpha -related infectiousness remained unclear, 0-9 year old children were at least as infectious as adults. Overall SAR among household contacts varied between the variants. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: When considering the potential role of children and adolescents, variant-specific susceptibility, infectiousness, age group and overall transmissibility need to be assessed.
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