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Respiratory infections caused by the bacteria known as Mycoplasma pneumoniae have been on the rise in recent months, leading to an epidemic known as “walking pneumonia,” according to the CDC.
The infections that cause “walking pneumonia” are generally milder than pneumonia, and many patients go about their daily lives without initially realizing they are infected. Symptoms also start mild for the first week and then gradually worsen. These include cough, sore throat, headache, and/or fever.
“People with pneumonia caused by Mycobacterium pneumoniae may appear to be doing better than expected for someone with a lung infection,” the CDC writes. “If symptoms are mild, people may not be at home or in bed. That’s why the term ‘walking pneumonia’ was born.”
In October, the CDC reported that the number of cases of walking pneumonia has increased since late spring, especially among young children. In fact, the CDC has confirmed more cases nationwide than since the pandemic began in early 2020.
Because “walking pneumonia” is not a symptom that must be reported to public health authorities, it is difficult to determine the exact number of people infected. However, the CDC has data from the National Syndrome Surveillance Program (NSSP), which collects patient information and diagnoses from emergency departments across the country.
Although NSSP data is not publicly available, the CDC has confirmed that some Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regions are reporting higher case counts than others. Specifically, the “highest levels” are reported in HHS Regions 2, 6, and 7 and include:
New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands (Region 2) Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas (Region 6) Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska (Region 7)
Although still increasing, the lowest increases are reported in HHS Regions 8, 9, and 10, which include:
Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming (Region 8) Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Marshall Islands , Republic of Palau (Region 9) Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington (Region 10)
“It is important to note that although the National Syndrome Surveillance Program collects data from most emergency departments, it is not 100%, so there may be areas of the country that are reporting more or less. “Yes,” the CDC said.
Doctors at a Kansas City hospital told Nexstar’s WDAF that children are among those most at risk.
“Immunity to mycoplasma increases and decreases every three to four years. Currently, the incidence of walking pneumonia is particularly high in children because their immunity is weakened and more children are congregating in groups. ,” said Dr. Sean Sood, a pediatric intensivist at KU Health.
“It feels like RSV was higher last year than it was two years ago during COVID-19, and now we’re facing even more mycoplasma cases,” he added.
Sood explained that since symptoms start with a mild cough or sore throat, infected children go to school without knowing they are sick and spread the infection. There is no vaccine for walking pneumonia as it is not a viral infection but a bacterial infection.
“If your child has a persistent cough, sore throat, or fever, get them tested,” Dr. Sood recommended.
Music teacher James Ballmer, who spoke with WDAF, is currently recovering from his own 10-12 day illness. He noticed that many elementary school students were suffering from respiratory illnesses during the last month.
“You’ll see one or two. [students] I’m going to be out for a couple of days,” Ballmer said.
When asked if he thought parents should keep sick children at home, he immediately said yes.
According to the CDC, mild cases of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection usually clear up on their own, but antibiotics may be used to treat the infection. This bacterium is naturally resistant to some antibiotics, so “use with caution” is recommended.
“Over-the-counter medications can help you feel better during recovery,” the CDC says.
If left untreated, more serious M. pneumoniae infections can cause permanent damage to the lungs and, in rare cases, neurological problems such as seizures and unsteady gait, Sood said. .
“We have also seen children with untreated walking pneumonia with severe respiratory symptoms,” Sood said, adding that “many” of these children had asthma or needed ventilators. He added that there is.
At the time Sood spoke to WDAF, several children were hospitalized at KU Health’s UCI with respiratory illnesses.
He expects cases to rise further during the winter months, especially as children spend more time indoors as families travel closer to the holidays. He said children suspected of having a pneumococcal infection should be taken to a pediatrician immediately.
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