Scientists have found gene patterns linked to severe COVID-19 in children. The discovery could help doctors spot which children face higher risk and find new treatment targets.

Researchers from the University of Southampton and the University of Cape Town studied blood samples from 333 children in South Africa. They compared children hospitalised with severe COVID-19, RSV and tuberculosis against children with mild COVID and healthy controls.

They found over 5,000 genes behaving differently in severe infections. Ten groups of genes showed the same pattern across the three diseases. These genes control immune responses, cell regulation and other biological processes. The team also found 82 genes that separate mild from severe COVID cases, a possible severity indicator.

Lead researcher Dr Negusse Kitaba said the findings reveal biological pathways behind severity and highlight genes for further study. The study was published in BMC Infectious Diseases. The work matters most for low and middle income countries, where childhood respiratory infections remain a leading cause of death. The team notes the findings show association, not causation.