Walking pneumonia rising this fall

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that the prevalence of walking pneumonia has increased among children in the fall months.

Cases of walking pneumonia — caused by the bacteria Mycoplasma pneumoniae — have risen sevenfold among children aged 2 to 4 years and twofold among older children. The infection has joined a number of respiratory diseases with higher case numbers than at the same time in 2023, including whooping cough and respiratory syncytial virus, according to a news report from CNN.

The CDC hypothesized that several factors may be contributing to the heightened case numbers: Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections may be returning to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, spikes in infections tend to occur every three to seven years as immunity to the bacteria reduces, and more advanced tests may be detecting a larger number of infections.

Although walking pneumonia has been historically challenging to test for, novel diagnostic approaches may help physicians more quickly and accurately detect and diagnose the infections, especially critical because standard treatments like amoxicillin and penicillin are not effective against Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

The CDC expects cases of walking pneumonia to decline later in the fall. Those who experience symptoms of the disease, such as headaches, sore throats, dry coughs, low-grade fevers and chills, should visit their physicians.

Read more: CNN

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