SARS-CoV-2 infections in children undergoing anticancer therapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A multicenter nationwide study
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) introduced an important public health threat in the world beginning in 2019. The aim of the study was to describe the clinical characteristics, treatment methods and outcomes of pediatric cancer patients and HSCT recipients who developed SARS-CoV-2 infection between 2020 and 2023 in Poland. During the study period among all pediatric oncological patients, 496 children (12.2%), i.e. 204 girls and 292 boys were at least one detected positive during anticancer therapy. Among HSCT recipients at least one episode of SARS-CoV-2 infection was diagnosed in 41 (6.0%; p < 0.001 oncology vs. transplant) patients, i.e. 10 girls, 31 boys including 39 (7.6%) after allo-HSCT and 2 (1.2%) after auto-HSCT (p = 0.001 allo vs. auto). SARS-CoV-2 infection has mild-moderate course in majority of pediatric cancer patients and transplant recipients, however, the presence of severe or critical illness is higher than in the general pediatric population. Interestingly, we observed less severe clinical courses of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the recent year than at the beginning of pandemic.
Authors
- W. Młynarski
- W. Balwierz
- S. Rutkowska
- A. Szmydki-Baran
- K. Machnik
- K. Baranowska
- P. Wawryków
- G. Karolczyk
- J. Styczynski
- K. Drabko
- R. Tomaszewska
- Olga Zając‐Spychała (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8836-8605)
- T. Urasiński
- J. Zawitkowska
- T. Ociepa
- K. Mycko
- K. Kalwak
- L. Hutnik
- S. Pająk
- S. Skoczeń
- B. Dembowska-Bagińska
- M. Płonowski
- M. Łukszo
- K. Pikora
- A. Książek
- A. Urbanek-Dądela
- A. Zaucha-Prażmo
- O. Grochowska
- N. Irga-Jaworska
- M. Salamonowicz-Bodzioch
- K. Derwich
- K. Czyżewski
- J. Goździk
- T. Szczepański
- P. Zalas-Więcek
- K. Jaremek
- S. Krawczyk
- K. Smalisz
- F. Pierlejewski
- A. Minkowska
- P. Łaguna
- E. Bień
- J. Frączkiewicz
- M. Krawczuk-Rybak
- W. Badowska
- W. Stolpa
- A. Królak
- M. Nowak
- A. Mizia-Malarz
- T. Brzeski
- J. Peregud-Pogorzelski
- K. Pawińska-Wąsikowska
- O. Gryniewicz-Kwiatkowska
- M. Zdunek
Institutions
- Poznan University of Medical Sciences (PL)
- Medical University of Lublin (PL)
- Jagiellonian University (PL)
- Medical University of Białystok (PL)
- Medical University of Silesia (PL)
- Medical University of Warsaw (PL)
- Nicolaus Copernicus University (PL)
- Wroclaw Medical University (PL)
- Children's Memorial Health Institute (PL)
- Medical University of Lodz (PL)
- University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn (PL)
- Gdańsk Medical University (PL)
- Pomeranian Medical University (PL)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Scientific Reports
- Published
- 2026-06-27
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-55146-z
- Primary Topic
- COVID-19 and healthcare impacts
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00