Barely out of the acute phase of the pandemic of COVID-19, the world is particularly sensitive to the news of the increasing number of cases of (atypical) pneumonia in children in China. Some media called the illness mysterious and this added fuel to public concerns. In response to requests from the World Health Organization (WHO) for more data on the “hot” situation, the country’s health authorities reported that no new pathogen had been identified. According to them, the increase in hospitalizations is due to complications of infections due to a cocktail of well-known disease-causing agents, such as influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, adenoviruses and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
This was said by Prof. Dr. Radostina Alexandrova from the Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with a Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
Let’s start with The good news, which excites everyone – China has not announced the discovery of a new disease-causing agent. Indirect proof of this is the fact that pneumonia affects children. This suggests that the older ones have already encountered the causative agents and have a built-in defense against them, the virologist explained.
WHO: Growth of respiratory diseases in China not as high as before the pandemic
Pneumonia is an infection and inflammation of the lungs. It could be a result from various viruses and bacteria. Mycoplasma pneumoniae and some other infectious agents, including viruses, cause the so-called atypical pneumonia. It is named so because it differs in some respects (e.g. approach to diagnosis, clinical findings) from typical pneumonia caused by bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Prof. Alexandrova explained.
In recent days from France there have also been reports of an increase in cases of pneumonia caused by this pathogen in children, the professor said.
Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia is usually a relatively mild illness, but it can become complicated.
Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia is usually relatively mild, self-limiting disease, often “passed off”. In some cases, however, it can develop into severe, even life-threatening pneumonia, it is possible to lead to manifestations that go beyond the limits of the lungs, explained Prof. Radostina Alexandrova.
WHO: There are outbreaks of undiagnosed pneumonia in China, urgent measures are needed
She said that in the treatment of those caused by bacteriaincluding from Mycoplasma pneumoniae, antibiotics are used for pneumonia, including from the group of macrolides. A publication in Nature on November 27, 2023 recalls that resistance levels of Mycoplasma pneumoniae to macrolides in Beijing are between 70 and 90 percent. It is possible that this also contributes to the high hospitalization rates, as the resistance of these pathogens can interfere with treatment and delay recovery in patients with bacterial pneumonia.
The further development of the situation with the re-emergence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and the activity of respiratory infections is undoubtedly subject to serious monitoring, especially as we enter the winter seasonn. This would allow health professionals to undertake, if necessary, a rapid response and adequate management. In this regard, the experience gained by countries and institutions during the pandemic is extremely valuable, said the virologist.
2023-12-02 08:53:00
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