CDC reports escalation of 'walking pneumonia'

Nurse performing a mouth swab test on a young child in the hospital.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a cautionary statement notifying providers and the public of increased respiratory infections caused the bacteria Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Cases in the United States have been rising over the past six months and remain high, especially among young children. 

M. pneumoniae is a common cause of respiratory illness, including pneumonia or acute bronchitis. In previous years, it has occurred primarily in school-aged children or adolescents, but the CDC has observed it more in young children starting in spring 2024. 

Infections caused by M. pneumoniae are generally mild but may progress to include worsening symptoms, such as fever, cough and sore throat. This is often referred to as “walking pneumonia,” as people who have it may not stay home because they don’t realize their symptoms are bad enough or that the infection is contagious. Children younger than five years of age may experience additional symptoms, such as wheezing, vomiting or diarrhea.

M. pneumoniae spread through respiratory droplets of an infected person’s coughs or sneezes. Other people acquire the bacteria by breathing in these droplets which contain the bacteria. 

According to the CDC, the bacteria can damage the lining of the respiratory tract, including the throat, windpipe and lungs. Serious complications, like severe pneumonia, new or aggravated asthma and encephalitis (brain disease), may require hospitalization. 

This year, the CDC has reported a significant increase in the number of pneumonia-related emergency department visits with a diagnosis of M. pneumoniae among all age groups, with the highest change in young children. Between March 31 and Oct. 5, the percentage grew from 1% to 7.2% among children between the ages of two and four. This is the first time the CDC has observed M. pneumoniae as a leading cause of pneumonia in this age group. The percentage among children between the ages of five and 17 also grew from 3.6% to 7.4%.

Health care providers should be considering M. pneumoniae as a potential cause of pneumonia and should test for it when symptoms of an infection are presented. The lab data will help the CDC and other global organizations to track the prevalence and circulation of the pathogen. 

The CDC also recommends macrolides as the first-line treatment for respiratory infections caused by M. pneumoniae bacteria. Common antibiotics used to treat pneumonia, such as penicillin, will not help and could lead to prolonged symptoms and persistent infection. 

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