Walking pneumonia is surging across the U.S., affecting people of all ages, but especially young kids.
That’s according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which said bacteria called Mycoplasma pneumoniae is making the rounds. While most of the resulting respiratory tract infections are mild, they can be severe, and a portion of those who have it will need antibiotics to get better.
It’s called “walking pneumonia” because the symptoms are typically milder and people feel better than you’d expect, given their lungs are infected.
M. pneumoniae infections include chest cold (tracheobronchitis) and pneumonia, which happens when the bacteria settle in the lungs.
Pediatric pulmonologist Dr. Preeti Sharma, associate professor of pediatrics at University of Texas Southwestern and Children’s Health in Dallas and a mom of two, told NPR she saw what looked like a common summer cold morph into pneumonia in her 12-year-old daughter. She developed a “lingering, deep, disruptive cough.”
Cases began rising in spring and summer, but haven’t let up. Sharma believes kids are spreading it in school and also bringing it home.
Doctors nationwide told NPR they’re seeing more cases this year in very young children, ages 2 to 4. The New York Times reported it usually is more common in older children.
Range of symptoms
Per the Times, despite the name, just 1 in 10 who are infected develop pneumonia. And it’s usually milder than other forms of pneumonia.
The CDC said symptoms take as long as four weeks to appear after someone is exposed to the bacteria — and it can also take several weeks for symptoms to go away. Some who are infected won’t have symptoms.
Symptoms may vary by age group. For most, the signs of infection include feeling tired, fever, headache, slowly worsening cough and sore throat.
Children under 5 have a different array that includes diarrhea, sneezing, sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, vomiting, watery eyes and wheezing, according to the public health giant.
Per the CDC, the infections can hurt the lining of the throat, windpipe and lungs. Walking pneumonia can also complicate and cause other problems, including asthma, brain swelling, hemolytic anemia, kidney trouble, serious pneumonia and skin disorders.
People are urged to seek medical care immediately for anyone who has a hard time breathing, regardless of age. Care is also advised if symptoms linger long or worsen.
In most cases, treating it at home works fine, though doctors urge parents to go easy on over-the-counter medications and be sure they know what it’s in them so children don’t get too much of an ingredient.
Dr. Matthew Isaac Harris, a pediatric emergency medicine physician and the medical director for Critical Care Transport at the New York-based Northwell Health, told People that honey is a natural cough soother that kids tolerate well. With more serious infection, antibiotics may be deployed; for this, it’s typically zaithromycin (the Z-pack).
And everyone is urged to wash their hands regularly and thoroughly, as well as avoid touching their nose, eyes and mouth.
Why so many cases?
The surge is not unexpected, though it is hitting younger children more often than normal.
“Experts expect some ebb and flow with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections: Historically, cases have risen around every three to seven years, for reasons doctors are still trying to understand. Researchers also expected case counts to rise after the coronavirus pandemic, when social distancing and other precautions reduced the transmission of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and other pathogens,” per the Times.
The pandemic may have impacted the number of walking pneumonia cases for diverse reasons. Some theorize that children stayed home during the pandemic and didn’t develop any immunity against the bacteria because they were kept away from it. It’s also possible that the COVID-19 virus itself has made lungs that dealt with it more symptom-prone when it comes to this bacteria.