Health officials said the increase in diagnoses in young children was “remarkable”. This is because Mycoplasma pneumoniae is not usually considered a major cause of pneumonia in that age group.
The CDC hasn’t said why the increase is occurring, especially among young children, but doctors say it’s because some children stayed home instead of going to daycare or school during pandemic lockdowns. This suggests that they may not have developed immunity to the bacteria.
“We had a lot of children who weren’t getting their normal annual exposure to viruses and key bacteria,” said Dr. Vandana Madhavan, pediatric infectious disease clinical director at Mass General for Children. said. “We now have a much larger population of children who have never experienced these infections before.”
Madhavan said “changing patterns” of infections have been seen across all types of respiratory diseases since the pandemic. However, it is still unclear why pneumococcal infections in particular have soared, as unlike viruses such as pertussis, increased diagnoses are associated with lower vaccination rates.
Although no major “clusters” of bacterial infections have yet been reported in Massachusetts, Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections in the state are increasing at a rate similar to those seen nationally, according to a spokesperson for the state Department of Public Health. It is said that they are doing so.
According to the CDC, pneumococcal infections occur most frequently among older children and adolescents, are generally mild, and often present as a chest cold. Even when the infection progresses to pneumonia, it appears to be less severe than other symptoms, hence the term “walking pneumonia.”
But younger children may develop more severe symptoms of the infection, including diarrhea, wheezing and vomiting, officials said.
Madhavan noted that while infections are typically identified in an inpatient setting, many patients with “walking pneumonia” receive only outpatient treatment when they seek treatment. Therefore, the actual number of infections is likely to be significantly higher than the reported number, he said.
Although the condition is often mild in adults, it can cause serious complications and neurological problems in children, Madhavan said.
The CDC recommends parents to watch for symptoms of M. pneumoniae, including fever, headache, and a cough that worsens over time. Children with asthma or reactive airway disease are at increased risk of serious infections.
Parents of children with worsening symptoms, such as wheezing or difficulty breathing, should seek medical attention, authorities said.
Madhavan said that while the symptoms of walking pneumonia vary in each case, it’s important for parents to pay close attention to any lingering or unusual symptoms.
“It’s nothing special,” she said. “But if your cough seems to be getting worse, it’s not getting better. If you’re dehydrated. If your kids are missing a lot of school, those are all reasons to think…”Oxygen Do I need someone to measure my levels, listen to my lungs, and give me a workup?’ To find out if there’s something going on that needs antibiotic treatment?”
Doctors recommend similar precautions to prevent the spread of walking pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses, including good hygiene, wearing masks, and physical distancing when indoors with other people. The following measures are recommended.
Camilo Fonseca can be reached at camilo.fonseca@globe.com. X Follow him on @fonseca_esq and Instagram @camilo_fonseca.reports.
