Increased cases of pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma bacteria

Mycoplasma infections increase the most

According to statistics from the Department of Infection Prevention and Control - National Children's Hospital (Hanoi), in 2022, there was an increase in cases of off-season flu (May - June 2022), Adenovirus (September - October 2022) and this year, data on Mycoplasma, hand, foot and mouth disease, and dengue fever were also updated.

Regarding the infectious disease situation in the past 7 months, among the diseases monitored, the number of influenza A cases recorded was high with 6,347 cases; followed by RSV infections (6,790); hand, foot and mouth disease (2,552 cases); Adenovirus (762 cases); the highest was Mycoplasma infections with 7,939 cases recorded.

8 year old patient with pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma bacteria

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Le Thi Hong Hanh, Director of the Respiratory Center, National Children's Hospital, pneumonia has many causes, of which Mycoplasma bacteria is an important agent causing pneumonia in the community. The disease occurs in all ages, but is more common in older children. According to an American study, the rate of pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma bacteria in children aged 5-10 is 16%; while in the group of children aged 10-17, this rate is up to 23%.

At the National Children's Hospital, among the recent hospitalizations was an 8-year-old patient from Lao Cai. Initially, the child had a continuous high fever and a cough. The family took the child to a nearby hospital and was diagnosed with viral fever. The child was monitored at home for 3 more days but the fever did not go away. The patient was brought to the National Children's Hospital for treatment when the disease progressed to the 5th day, with symptoms of continuous high fever, dry cough, rash all over the body, and a chest X-ray showing pneumonia. In-depth test results accurately showed that the bacteria causing the pneumonia was Mycoplasma.

Similarly, a 10-year-old patient from Thai Binh was brought to the hospital with a persistent cough, high fever, chest pain, difficulty breathing, and a rash all over the body. After 9 days of treatment at a lower-level hospital, the child did not improve. At the National Children's Hospital, the results showed that the child had lobar pneumonia and left pleural effusion caused by Mycoplasma.

According to the Respiratory Center - National Children's Hospital, at peak times, the center receives 150 - 160 inpatients per day, of which Mycoplasma infections account for about 30% (about 30 - 40 patients).

Mycoplasma bacteria

Symptoms of pneumonia and extrapulmonary infections

When Mycoplasma bacteria invade the body, the incubation period is about 2 - 3 weeks. After this time, the disease will start with symptoms of respiratory tract inflammation: sneezing, runny nose, fever.

Children with pneumonia may have a high fever, a continuous fever of 39 - 40 degrees Celsius. In addition, children also cough a lot, cough in bouts, cough accompanied by difficulty breathing, rapid breathing. Older children may have chest pain, headache, muscle pain, muscle stiffness...

In particular, children with pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma bacteria may have other extrapulmonary complications such as conjunctivitis, skin rash, cardiovascular complications, gastrointestinal and urinary complications, etc.

Symptoms of Mycoplasma pneumonia in children are easily confused with other causes of pneumonia such as viral pneumonia or bacterial pneumonia because they have the same symptoms: fever, cough, difficulty breathing or chest X-rays showing lesions on the film.

Bacterial or viral pneumonia in general and Mycoplasma pneumonia in particular are transmitted through contact through droplets. If you see your child showing symptoms such as respiratory tract inflammation, high fever, cough and difficulty breathing, especially in older children from 4 to 10 years old, you should take your child to a specialized medical facility for examination and early diagnosis and timely treatment, because the patient may have complications that parents cannot detect, such as high fever with extrapulmonary manifestations, or severe pneumonia and respiratory failure.

To diagnose pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma bacteria, specific tests are required, according to the Respiratory Center - National Children's Hospital.

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