Severe acute respiratory syndrome among children.

Objective: To study the epidemiologic, clinical, laboratory, and radiologic features, prognostic indicators, and short-term to medium-term outcomes for children with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and to validate the performance characteristics of a clinical case definition, calculated with respect to SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) seroconversion.

Methods: Children <18 years of age, from a single-site outbreak, who satisfied a clinical case definition for SARS, with subsequent serologic confirmation, were treated according to a standard protocol and prospectively monitored.

Results: Forty-four children were included.