COVID-19: Scientists explain why children are less affected, cite difference in lungs

Differences in lung physiology and immune function in children may be reason why y are more often spared from COVID-19 than adults, research, which sheds more light on biological process behind deadly infectious disease, revealed. Meanwhile, deadly pandemic has w spread to infect more than 1,22,32,745 people in 188 countries.

A team of scientists, which also consisted of researchers from University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (Ualth) revealed that children under 18 years of make up 22 per cent of US population, but added that only about 1.7 per cent of first 1,49,082 COVID-19 cases in country belonged to this group.

Citing reason behind same, y said that a molecule in humans called Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, or ACE2, which act as doors that allow vel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, into cells, are lesser in number in children's lungs than in adults.  In addition to lesser ACE2, researchers said that immune system in children acts differently as compared to adults, leaving lesser chances of infection to spread in pediatric patients.

"ACE2 are important for viral entry and re seems to be less of m in children because y increase with ," said Matw Harting, a co-author of study from Ualth.

Most prevalent symptoms

In ar research, scientists asserted that persistent cough and fever were confirmed as most prevalent symptoms associated with Covid-19. Health experts studied a sample of over 25,000 cases of adults above of 16 years with laboratory tests confirmed COVID-19 respiratory disease. A random-effects model for pooling of bimial data was applied to estimate prevalence of symptoms, subgrouping estimates by country. 

Read: Coronavirus Live Updates: India's Recovery Rate At 62%; UP Under Lockdown On July 10-13

researchers – from five universities including University of Leeds – observed data of COVID-19 patients from over 9 countries and combined studies from over 851 unique citations, 148 separate studies including UK, China, and US. Of that, researchers listed most common symptoms and possible outcomes if one contracts coronavirus. 

Read: 1,006 New Coronavirus Cases In Pune City

We ackwledge that re is both within-country and between-country differences in estimated prevalence of different symptoms. We confirm that fever and cough remain most prevalent symptoms of adults infected by SARS-CoV-2—authors wrote in study.

Read: Coronavirus: Researchers Say Persistent Cough And Fever Are 'most Prevalent' Symptoms

Read: More Than 200 Scientists Tell WHO Coronavirus Is Airborne: Report