Cases Of ‘Walking Pneumonia’ Spike Among Children: What To Know In GA

Health & Fitness

Cases Of 'Walking Pneumonia' Spike Among Children: What To Know In GA The Georgia Department of Public Health offered several tips for avoiding respiratory illness, including Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

GEORGIA — It's possible the persistent cough that has been nagging your child for weeks is a type of " walking pneumonia " that has been surging this year, especially in young children.

The percentage of children ages 2-4 who have been diagnosed with this common type of pneumonia grew from 1 percent to 7.2 percent from March 31 to Oct. 5, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency said the increase is "notable" because the bacteria that causes it — Mycoplasma pneumoniae — historically hasn't been recognized as a leading cause of pneumonia in this age group.

The Georgia Department of Public Health told Patch that Mycoplasma pneumoniae is not reportable in the U.S., including in Georgia.

The DPH recommended the following tips for preventing respiratory illness:

Frequent and thorough handwashing with soap and warm water. Use an alcohol-based gel if you don't have access to soap and water.

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

Avoid touching your face as germs can get into the body through mucus membranes of the nose, mouth and eyes.

"Stay up to date on vaccines for COVID, flu and RSV; and, if you are sick, stay home from school or work so you don't spread germs to others," public health officials said.

The bacteria is easily spread by coughing or sneezing, and while respiratory infections are generally mild, serious complications can also develop.

Below are things Georgia parents need to know about Mycoplasma pneumonia:

What Is Walking Pneumonia?

Walking pneumonia is a colloquial term to describe atypical pneumonia — that is, mild lung infections whose symptoms are similar to a chest cold, including a sore throat, sneezing, coughing, headache, mild chills and low-grade fever.

People who have walking pneumonia generally feel well enough to go about their lives.

Unlike "regular" pneumonia, which is caused by various microorganisms, usually bacteria and viruses, walking pneumonia is caused by the difficult-to-detect bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

People of any age can develop walking pneumonia infections, but they're most common among children ages 5-17 and young adults. Younger children may have different symptoms , including diarrhea, wheezing or vomiting.

How Common Is Walking Pneumonia?

An estimated 2 million infections are confirmed every year in the United States, but the CDC said the true number of people who are affected every year is unknown, as there is no national reporting or dedicated surveillance system for tracking.

The CDC data from March 31 through Oct. 5 that shows young children are getting sick at higher rates also shows an increase is diagnoses among all age groups. And although infection rates are highest among young children , the number of kids ages 5-17 diagnosed with walking pneumonia increased from 3.6 percent to 7.4 percent from March 31-Oct. 5.

The CDC also looks at lab data showing how frequently patients are testing positive for walking pneumonia infections. The positivity rate has also gone up since late spring for all age groups, from 0.7 percent to 3.3 percent.

Will Antibiotics Take Care Of It?

First-line antibiotics for children, including amoxicillin and penicillin, don't work on this type of pneumonia. Instead, the CDC recommends macrolides, such as azithromycin, clarithromycin and erythromycin. Patients who don't improve may need second-line treatments, such as fluoroquinolones or tetracyclines.

Why Are Cases Increasing Now?

Although Mycoplasma infection rates are now more in line with pre-pandemic levels, they have not exceeded them.

"It seems very dramatic now, but it's more because during the peak of the Covid pandemic, just about everything else went down," Dr. Geoffrey Weinberg, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the University of Rochester Medical Center, told CNN "But the actual countrywide rates are fairly similar to what it was before 2019 ."

Also, according to the CNN report, most infections cycle, meaning some years are worse than others. Mycoplasma pneumonia rates tend to spike every three to seven years as people lose their immunity to the virus.

Also, tests are more advanced. Multiplex tests can check for multiple types of viruses and bacteria at the same time, so doctors may be picking up on it more often, according to health experts.

What Else Can Be Done?

The bacteria can remain in the body for one to four weeks before a person gets sick. This type of pneumonia easily spreads through crowded settings, such as schools, college dorms and nursing homes, according to the CDC

One of the best ways to control its spread is to practice good hand-washing and other hygiene techniques, such as coughing into a sleeve.