COVID-19 in children with cancer: a review of case reports

Muhd Helmi, Muhd Alwi and Taib, Fahisham and Nik Yusoff, Nik Khairulddin and Nasir, Ariffin and Mohamad, Norsarwany (2020) COVID-19 in children with cancer: a review of case reports. Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 17 (Supplement 1). p. 25. E-ISSN 2636-9346

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Abstract

Introduction: Immunosuppressed individuals and paediatric population are susceptible to infections. This case report depicts the presentation and severity of COVID-19 infection in a single case report of a Leukemic child on chemotherapy and compares the course of disease with previously reported case reports of immunocompromised children with COVID-19. Case presentation: We reported a 27-month-old boy, known case of B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in remission, which was infected with COVID-19. Our reported case was asymptomatic and recovered well without developing any complication related to COVID-19 infection despite being immunocompromised. A comparison made with published case reports of immunocompromised children with COVID-19 revealed variability in the presentations whereby most of the children were mildly affected. Other factors such as concomitant infection, the severity of immunosuppression, presence of other co-morbidities and infection by different virus subtypes may explain the variability in the severity of COVID-19 infection. Conclusion: Mild presentation of COVID-19 in immunocompromised children can be explained by the lack of overwhelming immune responses toward SARS-CoV-2 virus in an immunocompromised host. Clinicians, however, have to be vigilant as immunocompromised children can be severely affected by COVID-19. Further studies on the pathophysiology of COVID-19 infection in immunocompromised hosts and factors contributing to variability of presentations among patients with similar immune responses are required before a firm conclusion can be made

Item Type:	Article (Meeting Abstract)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	COVID-19, children with cancer, review
Subjects:	R Medicine > RJ Pediatrics
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Medicine Kulliyyah of Medicine > Department of Paediatrics
Depositing User:	Dr Muhd Alwi Muhd Helmi
Date Deposited:	04 Feb 2021 09:30
Last Modified:	04 Feb 2021 09:32
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/88209

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