Use of PCR-Sars-CoV-2 in Children

The VIGIL study was set up at the beginning of the pandemic, in the spring of 2020, at atime when diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2 had to be performed according to specificclinical criteria (even if no clinical picture suggestive of COVID had been clearlyidentified). The management of sick young children (with respiratory tract infection thatcould be attributed to COVID) by pediatricians (infectious diseases specialists,emergency physicians, general practitioners, and outpatients) was facilitated by analgorithm whose objective was to help define the indications for SARS-CoV-2 PCR andsubsequently for antigenic testing. The current technique of deep nasopharyngeal swabbing(for PCR or antigenic testing) is delicate and difficult in children, and is therefore aserious handicap for community-based screening, especially since infectious episodes arefrequent in children. Since then, nasal self-tests that can be easily used in childrenhave been commercialized and have facilitated screening.Because of the similarity between the clinical signs of respiratory tract infections inchildren, it is often impossible to distinguish between different viral respiratoryinfections and epidemics may overlap in time. However, the identification of the pathogenis the key to improve management of these infectious diseases. The VIGIL study istherefore continuing, still facilitated by the existence of an active pediatric networkexisting for 20 years. ACTIV AFPA and GPIP have created networks of hospital andambulatory pediatricians who actively participate in various observatorieshttps://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(17)31606-2/fulltext To date, these observatorieshave resulted in the publication of more than 80 articles in international journals(https://www.activ-france.com/fr/publications).