Children infected with SARS-CoV-2 are less likely than adults to produce antibodies against the virus, despite having similar symptoms and levels of virus in their bodies, according to a small study in Australia1.
Researchers say the findings add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that children have a more robust initial immune response to COVID-19 and can clear the infection quickly, compared with adults. But because antibodies are likely to be important for guarding against reinfection, the findings raise questions about how well protected children might be against future infections.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open on 9 March, looked at 57 children with a median age of 4 and 51 adults with a median age of 37, who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 between 10 May and 28 October 2020. Participants had mild symptoms, such as headaches and fevers, or were asymptomatic. ....
