Pediatric pneumonia instances have been rising within the Bay State, based on well being officers who say there’s “no evidence” that the seasonal bounce is tied to the rise in mycoplasma pneumonia flare-ups all over the world.
Massachusetts has seen a modest uptick in pediatric pneumonia instances in the course of the previous few weeks, the state Department of Public Health mentioned on Friday.
This enhance is “seasonally appropriate” and is according to the degrees of pneumonia usually seen at the moment of yr earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic, based on DPH. These pneumonia instances are most certainly linked to a combo of respiratory viruses — together with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which usually jumps within the winter months.
“We are aware of the attention to the increase in pneumonia in several geographic regions of the world that has been attributed in part to mycoplasma pneumonia,” DPH mentioned in an announcement. “There is no evidence that the normal and expected increase in pneumonia cases we are currently seeing in Massachusetts is related to mycoplasma.”
Mycoplasma is a bacterium that may infect the lungs, and infrequently causes what’s known as “walking pneumonia.” While one of these pneumonia tends to be gentle in adolescents and adults, it may be problematic in infants and kids.
In Ohio, a county has recorded an “extremely high number” of pediatric pneumonia instances, together with mycoplasma pneumonia, the Warren County Health District reported this week.
“We do not think this is a novel/new respiratory disease but rather a large uptick in the number of pneumonia cases normally seen at one time,” the county well being officers mentioned.
Countries in Europe have been reporting a spike in mycoplasma pneumonia instances.
Meanwhile, a rise in respiratory sicknesses throughout China has drawn the eye of the World Health Organization.
“DPH urges everyone to take measures to help prevent all respiratory illness — including COVID, flu, and RSV,” Massachusetts DPH mentioned. “These measures include washing your hands, covering your mouth when you sneeze or cough, staying home when you are ill, and getting the appropriate vaccines.”
Herald wire providers had been used on this report.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”