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Bengaluru hospitals find more Covid antibody-positive children

Doctors not surprised since 75% city residents are seropositive
Last Updated 21 September 2021, 00:32 IST

Authorities may not be finding Covid clusters among schoolchildren in the state, but government hospitals have more children with Covid antibodies.

In 20 days since September 1, KC General Hospital in Malleswaram alone found 46 children with Covid antibodies out of 166 samples tested from the pediatric ward and ICU.

“Right now, none of the children tested positive after RT-PCR tests, which means it is not an active infection,” said Dr B R Venkateshaiah, KC General’s medical superintendent.

The numbers are not surprising, doctors said, given that 75% of Bengalureans are seropositive. “Though the RT-PCR test is negative, some children are positive for Covid antibodies,” said Dr S R Lakshmipathy, KC General’s senior specialist pediatrician.

“The severity is more in these children. They are wheezing. Also, the footfall is higher than before,” he noted.

While the average period of stay at the hospital is six to seven days, some children have stayed more than 10 days, Dr Lakshmipathy pointed out. “They are all aged up to five years. There are not many adolescents,” he said.

Chikkanarasa Reddy, professor of pediatrics, Bowring and Lady Curzon Medical College and Research Institute, said almost 50-60% of the hospital’s pediatric patients have antibodies.

“We have 43 pediatric beds. While we are screening for coronavirus, it has been negative,” he said. “Incidentally, there are severe cases being positive for Covid antibodies. There may or may not be a correlation between the two.”

Dr Mallesh K, professor and HOD of pediatrics, Vani Vilas Hospital, explained how the presence of antibodies in a child alters the treatment regimen prescribed by doctors.

“The presence of Covid antibodies with pneumonia-like illnesses and elevated inflammatory markers is a feature of a multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Once this is confirmed, the therapy drastically alters,” he said.

“Based on the severity, methylprednisolone or dexamethasone is prescribed. If the case is severe, we go for costly immunoglobulins. As it is a precious drug now, we must use it only in necessary conditions. If we don’t use it, it may have a devastating effect on the outcome,” Dr Mallesh added.

Vani Vilas Hospital has 110 pediatric beds, including neonatal intensive care beds. Dr Mallesh confirmed some children at the hospital are Covid-antibody positive.

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(Published 21 September 2021, 00:12 IST)

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