482. SARS-CoV-2 Prevalence in Feces of Very Young Children, A Longitudinal Study

Abstract Background Understanding the disease burden of SARS- CoV-2 in young children has been challenging as the majority are asymptomatic or experience mild symptoms and were rarely tested. SARS-CoV-2 is traditionally detected through respiratory secretions but has also been reported in feces where shedding may continue for weeks after respiratory samples show resolution. We examined the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in already collected fecal samples from young children through the pandemic as well as associated demographic factors. Methods As part of an ongoing longitudinal microbiome study in Northern Virginia, serial stools samples were collected from infants before and throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Reverse transcription quantitative-PCR detecting SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid gene in the N1 and N2 regions was performed. Penalized logistic regression models were developed to evaluate the association between fecal positivity and potential risk factors. Results The overall prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in infant feces was 1.69 % (13 samples) with a prevalence at delivery, 2, 6, 12 and 24 months of 0, 0, 2.56, 1.96, and 0.85 % respectively. Fecal positivity was first detected 31 days before the reported first case of Covid-19 in Northern Virginia; prevalence rates peaked in September at 4.5% (Figure 1). Only one infant who tested positive was symptomatic with COVID-19 21 days before his stool was collected. Of the 13 positive samples, 8 reported Hispanic ethnicity and 7 reported an essential worker (Table 1). Penalized logistic regression model showed association between Hispanic ethnicity and testing positive (OR 5.04 (95% CI 1.7 – 15.0)) that remained after controlling for the presences of an essential worker (OR 4.7 (95% CI 1.6 – 14.0)). Conclusion Prevalence of SARS- CoV-2 in infant stool correlated with the prevalence of COVID-19 during the pandemic, with higher rates in those of Hispanic ethnicity corelating with regional trends. Fecal positivity in asymptomatic infants even before quarantine restrictions supports the early but silent transmission of SARS-CoV-2. This study likely underestimates true prevalence rates as stool samples were stored without viral preservative. There are many socioeconomic factors that predispose to disease while ethnicity may be a mediating or confounding factor Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Abbreviations: ECMO, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; ICU, intensive care unit; MIS-C, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children; MV, mechanical ventilation; NC, nasal cannula *Denotes statistically significant P-value a. Calculated using chi-square or fisher exact unless otherwise noted. a. Calculated using chi-square or fisher exact unless otherwise noted. A P-value <0.05 was considered significant. b. Calculated using Wilcoxon rank sum test. c. Includes patients with home noninvasive MV (2) or tracheostomy and home MV(4).
Conclusion. For children admitted with symptomatic COVID-19, being overweight or obese was significantly associated with having pneumonia and with requiring oxygen. A difference in ICU admission, length of hospitalization, and mortality was not observed. Obesity prevention along with vaccination efforts may prevent COVID-19 related morbidity in this group.
Disclosures. Background. Understanding the disease burden of SARS-CoV-2 in young children has been challenging as the majority are asymptomatic or experience mild symptoms and were rarely tested. SARS-CoV-2 is traditionally detected through respiratory secretions but has also been reported in feces where shedding may continue for weeks after respiratory samples show resolution. We examined the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in already collected fecal samples from young children through the pandemic as well as associated demographic factors.
Methods. As part of an ongoing longitudinal microbiome study in Northern Virginia, serial stools samples were collected from infants before and throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Reverse transcription quantitative-PCR detecting SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid gene in the N1 and N2 regions was performed. Penalized logistic regression models were developed to evaluate the association between fecal positivity and potential risk factors.
Results. The overall prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in infant feces was 1.69 % (13 samples) with a prevalence at delivery, 2, 6, 12 and 24 months of 0, 0, 2.56, 1.96, and 0.85 % respectively. Fecal positivity was first detected 31 days before the reported first case of Covid-19 in Northern Virginia; prevalence rates peaked in September at 4.5% (Figure 1). Only one infant who tested positive was symptomatic with COVID-19 21 days before his stool was collected. Of the 13 positive samples, 8 reported Hispanic ethnicity and 7 reported an essential worker (Table 1). Penalized logistic regression model showed association between Hispanic ethnicity and testing positive (OR 5.04 (95% CI 1.7 -15.0)) that remained after controlling for the presences of an essential worker (OR 4.7 (95% CI 1.6 -14.0)).

Conclusion.
Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in infant stool correlated with the prevalence of COVID-19 during the pandemic, with higher rates in those of Hispanic ethnicity corelating with regional trends. Fecal positivity in asymptomatic infants even before quarantine restrictions supports the early but silent transmission of SARS-CoV-2. This study likely underestimates true prevalence rates as stool samples were stored without viral preservative. There are many socioeconomic factors that predispose to disease while ethnicity may be a mediating or confounding factor Disclosures. All Authors: No reported disclosures Background. There is limited data on outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection among infants (< 1 year of age). In the absence of any approved vaccines for infants, understanding the risk factors for hospitalization and severe disease from COVID-19 in this age group will help inform clinical management and targeted public health interventions. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical manifestations, disease severity, and risk factors for hospitalization among infants with SARS-CoV-2 infection in Canada.

Disease Severity and Clinical Manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Infants Over the First Year of the Pandemic in Canada
Methods. This is a nationwide prospective observational study using the infrastructure of the Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program. All cases of infants aged < 1 year of age with microbiologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection were reported from April 8 th 2020 to May 11 th 2021, and classified by disease severity, and primary