A spike in cases of walking pneumonia among young children has led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue an alert.
The CDC reports emergency room visits for children with respiratory infections caused by the bacteria Mycoplasma pneumoniae have been rising rapidly in recent months.
Cases among children 2 to 4 years old increased from 1% in April to 7.2% in early October, the CDC said. Emergency rooms reported cases more than doubled for kids ages 5 to 17 from 3.6% to 7.4% during that same time frame.
"The increase in children ages 2–4 years is notable because M. pneumoniae historically hasn't been recognized as a leading cause of pneumonia in this age group," the CDC said.
Adults are also susceptible to the bacteria. The CDC said cases have gone up for all age groups.
What are the symptoms of walking pneumonia?
Walking pneumonia can feel like a bad cold or the flu.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms include:
- Sore throat
- Extreme tiredness
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Low-grade fever (less than 101 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Mild chills
- Cough
- Sneezing
- Headache
Dr. Christina Johns, a pediatric emergency medicine physician and senior medical advisor at PM Pediatric Care said it's time to see a doctor if you or your child has had a cough for more than a week.
"Lots of viruses can cause these similar symptoms, but oftentimes, simply listening with a stethoscope to the lungs can make the diagnosis. This is the kind of infection that does require antibiotic medicine to treat it. So it is important to go get checked out," Johns said.
Why is it called 'walking pneumonia'?
"People with pneumonia caused by M. pneumoniae can seem better than expected for someone with a lung infection.
With mild symptoms, people may not stay home or in bed. Thus, the phrase 'walking pneumonia' was coined," the CDC states online.
How does walking pneumonia spread?
"Pneumonia is an infection that's caused by bacteria that get in the lungs. When we cough, we cough out bits of the bacteria.That is what ends up getting spread to from person to person and why it's contagious," Johns said.
How can I reduce risk of getting walking pneumonia?
To reduce the risk of getting sick and spreading the illness, Johns said to practice good hand hygiene, avoid sharing drinks, cover your mouth when you cough and clean contaminated surfaces.
