United States: Medical staff are urging the population to be vigilant about any signs of Mycoplasma pneumoniae-associated pneumonia as the number of cases of the potentially severe respiratory condition increases in New Jersey and other parts of the US.
More about the news
Since late spring, the CDC has noted a rise in the proportion of emergency department visits for pneumonia that was discharged with M. pneumoniae.
As the discharge data coming from March 31 through October 5 revealed, the greatest increase was revealed in children, ramping from 1.0 percent to 7.2 percent in those aged 2 to 4 years and an increment of 3.6 percent to 7.4 percent in those aged 5 to 17 years of age.
According to the CDC’s October 18th report, “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,” nj.com reported, nj.com reported.
What more are the experts stating?
The latest advisory report issued by the New Jersey Department of Health last week suggested that New Jersey is witnessing the same pattern of an increase in cases of M. pneumoniae.
M. pneumoniae infections are deemed common, and around two million people in the US seem to be infected every year, as the CDC noted.
Although there is no national reporting being done or there is no dedicated surveillance system in place to track those infections, finding out the exact count of cases remains a big task.
About M. pneumoniae
M. pneumoniae is widespread, and it is estimated that there are two million cases per year in the US, according to the CDC.
As per the CDC, M. pneumoniae causes mild illnesses and more often manifests simply as the flu of the chest but may also manifest as pneumonia, nj.com reported.
Some of the signs you are likely to develop include fever, cough, and sore throat. Younger children may not experience the typical flu-like symptoms; instead, they may have diarrhea, wheezing, or vomiting.
Due to the fact that most symptoms are usually not very severe, individuals with M. pneumoniae often appear more productive of time than one would anticipate of a lung infection.
The illness is transmitted through respiratory droplets generated from patients by coughing or sneezing.
As a precaution, residents should practice good hygiene and ensure they cover their cough and sneezes.