CDC warns: Walking pneumonia and RSV incidence among young children are on the rise. The trends are noteworthy but not unexpected.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently warned that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and mycoplasma pneumonia, or “walking pneumonia,” are on the rise among very young children. The incidence rate is higher than in recent years, and walking pneumonia, caused by bacteria, is striking infants and toddlers at an unusually early age. This may signal the arrival of runny nose and fever season for parents, but experts say that’s actually what they expect to see this year and it’s not a cause for concern.

What’s happening

October 18 CDC warned that the incidence of walking pneumonia is increasing, especially among preschool children. CDC statistics show cases have increased across all age groups since March, peaking in August. But among kids this surge was especially acute and unusual. The proportion of children aged 2 to 4 years discharged from hospital with ambulatory pneumonia increased from 1% as of March 31 (when mycoplasma season begins) to 7.4% by October 5. Among children aged 5 to 17 years, the figure increased from 3.6%. up to 7.4%.

However, the RSV season is just beginning. But in the southeast, where cases typically begin to rise first, The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says there are “signs of increased RSV activity.”

Why is this happening

These trends are certainly noteworthy, but they are not unexpected.

In 2018–2019 and 2019–2020, the peak incidence of RSV occurred in mid-December. seasons. But “post-COVID, we saw RSV emerge early in the year,” Dr. Larry Kociolekassistant professor of pediatric infectious diseases at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine, told Yahoo Life. This is because children born during measures to slow the spread of COVID were not exposed to infections such as RSV. These measures were lifted at different times of the year across the US, meaning infants and young children’s first exposures to RSV occurred outside the regular season, starting the chain of transmission earlier than usual. “This year“This timing is more in line with what we would expect to see in a normal season,” he says.

A similar pattern—infants and toddlers being protected from viruses and bacteria through COVID precautions and then suddenly being exposed—also helps explain why walking pneumonia rates have been so much higher this year than the past two years, especially among very young children. . “We are seeing higher numbers compared to previous seasons, but this is mainly because over the past few years, since the pandemic, we have had fewer illnesses among young children.” Dr. Preeti Sharmaa pediatric pulmonologist at Children’s Health told Yahoo Life.

The rise in walking pneumonia in young children, especially those ages 2 to 4, is partly a post-pandemic phenomenon and partly due to toddlers being “exposed to school-age siblings who bring these pathogens into their home,” she adds. Walking pneumonia is highly contagious and is spread through respiratory droplets from coughing and sneezing. Most people do not develop symptoms until two to four weeks after infection, but they are contagious during this period and until symptoms go away. The incidence rate of walking pneumonia also tends to rise every few years, Sharma said. Cases are expected to rise in the US, and “this is not an unusual trend,” Sharma says; It’s just affecting kids a little younger than in past years.

What to do

The good news is that there are highly effective treatments and preventions for both infections. RSV usually causes a mild cold in healthy older children and adults, but is the most common cause of hospitalization in infants in the United States. However, severe infection can be prevented by vaccine in the third trimester of pregnancy. Children aged 19 months and younger can now receive antibody injection to protect them from RSV.

Walking pneumonia “sounds scary because we’re talking about pneumonia,” Sharma says. “But the term ‘walking’ comes from the fact that most children with this condition stand up and walk.” It also causes cold or COVID symptoms, including nasal congestion and cough. On its own, it does not pose a serious risk to children, but “unlike COVID, it is not a new pathogen; we know it’s easy treated with antibiotics” says Sharma. She recommends seeking medical help if your child has a cough that doesn’t go away after five to seven days, so they can be tested and prescribed medications if they have mycoplasma pneumonia.