Little Rock, Arkansas – According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hospitals across the country are seeing a rise in cases of walking pneumonia, which is also referred to as Mycoplasma pneumoniae, a specific lung infection.
In Arkansas, there is a noticeable uptick in cases, particularly among children.
“For various reasons, there has been a noticeable increase in cases within the community throughout this year,” stated Dr. Amanda Novack, an infectious disease physician at Baptist Health. “The number of patients testing positive for Mycoplasma in the hospital has increased beyond our usual expectations.”
Walking pneumonia refers to an infection characterized by mild symptoms, allowing individuals to continue their daily activities rather than remaining at home or in bed. This behavior is the origin of the infection’s name.
According to Dr. Novack, individuals may experience a runny nose, sore throat, and symptoms resembling bronchitis.
Mycoplasma can affect individuals of any age. It is commonly perceived as something that impacts children between the ages of 5 and 18, typically in a school setting. Dr. Novack noted, “This year, we’ve observed an increase in younger children aged 2-4, and this trend extends to individuals in their 90s as well.”
Dr. Novack indicated that several informed hypotheses exist regarding the recent increase in cases this year.
“She stated that there was likely a natural decrease during the pandemic, a time characterized by widespread mask-wearing and social distancing.” “At times, when Mycoplasma or another bacterium has been absent from the community for a while, its return can catch everyone off guard. Without any immunity developed during its absence, we all become particularly vulnerable to it.”
Dr. Novack advised that to curb the transmission of this infection, individuals should uphold proper hand hygiene and adhere to cough etiquette, which includes coughing into an elbow and utilizing tissues.
The CDC reports that annually, the United States sees over two million instances of walking pneumonia.
