biostudies-literatureUnknown185(1)Schneider LERobert Koch-InstitutLimiting healthcare-associated infections (HAI) SARS-CoV-2 transmission has been a global challenge. We assessed characteristics of pediatric SARS-CoV-2 HAI outbreaks to better understand HAI transmission in pediatric care. We analyzed PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 outbreak cases notified through statutory surveillance, at case level and at outbreak level, in Germany between 24 February 2020 and 31 December 2023 to describe SARS-CoV-2 HAI outbreaks in pediatric care and compare them with non-pediatric outbreaks. Pediatric outbreaks included any outbreak in pediatric care or with > 50% of cases among patients aged < 18 years. We calculated age-disaggregated median monthly incidences of SARS-CoV-2 HAI outbreak cases per 100,000 hospitalizations using reimbursement data. Among 36,371 SARS-CoV-2 HAEuropean journal of pediatrics25https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12711983biostudies-literatureCharacteristics of pediatric SARS-CoV-2 healthcare-associated infection outbreaks in Germany, 2020-2023: a retrospective observational study.PMC12711983Piening BDiercke MHaller SBrandl MUllrich ASchneider LESuwono BEckmanns TfalseCharacteristics of pediatric SARS-CoV-2 healthcare-associated infection outbreaks in Germany, 2020-2023: a retrospective observational study.Limiting healthcare-associated infections (HAI) SARS-CoV-2 transmission has been a global challenge. We assessed characteristics of pediatric SARS-CoV-2 HAI outbreaks to better understand HAI transmission in pediatric care. We analyzed PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 outbreak cases notified through statutory surveillance, at case level and at outbreak level, in Germany between 24 February 2020 and 31 December 2023 to describe SARS-CoV-2 HAI outbreaks in pediatric care and compare them with non-pediatric outbreaks. Pediatric outbreaks included any outbreak in pediatric care or with > 50% of cases among patients aged < 18 years. We calculated age-disaggregated median monthly incidences of SARS-CoV-2 HAI outbreak cases per 100,000 hospitalizations using reimbursement data. Among 36,371 SARS-CoV-2 HA2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Dec2026-06-09T07:23:13.128Z2026-06-09T03:11:34.928ZS-EPMC127119834140845710.1007/s00431-025-06680-x