SARS-CoV-2 fecal shedding pattern in pediatric patients with acute COVID-19 or COVID-19-associated multisystem inflammatory syndrome

Studies showed that a higher proportion of fecal SARS-CoV-2 RNA can be observed in patients with gastrointestinal manifestations [2]. [...]viral shedding through feces could continue even after clearance from the respiratory tract, which is observed to be more prevalent in children than in adults, highlighting the importance of fecal-oral transmission in pediatric cases [3]. According to the latest systematic review, the positivity rate of RNA in feces of children with positive respiratory SARS-CoV-2 RNA was 86% (95% confidence interval, 73%–96%) [3]. [...]we tested rectal swabs of patients in only 2 time points, and we cannot determine the exact change trend in the test results of patients. [...]5 of the 42 pediatric cases (12%) with acute COVID-19 or MIS-C included in our study revealed fecal viral shedding.