Ganglion pneumonia, caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria, is on the rise: Shots

Mycoplasma pneumonia causes upper respiratory symptoms, including a prolonged cough. It can also cause red eyes or a rash.

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If you or your child has a lingering cough, keep reading. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says cases of mycoplasma pneumonia is increasing across the United States, especially among young children.

Preeti Sharma is one pediatric pulmonologist who have seen the increase up close. She is an associate professor of pediatrics at UT Southwestern and Children’s Health in Dallas and a mother of two. At the end of May, her 12-year-old daughter came home from school with what looked like a typical summer cold.

“She had a runny nose, some sneezing, a little bit of a sore throat and a little bit of fatigue, lower appetite,” says Sharma.

And then the coughing started. “We just watched it progress until she had this very prolonged, deep, disruptive cough,” she says.

That cough is what tipped off Sharma that her daughter had mycoplasma pneumonia. It is caused by an infection with the bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae. The CDC says cases began to rise across the United States in the spring and summer, and the increase has continued into the fall. Sharma says in Dallas they saw a big increase after kids went back to school.

“Kids spread it to each other in schools, and they probably bring it home to their parents and families as well,” says Sharma.

Mycoplasma pneumonia usually presents with upper respiratory symptoms, although some children may also develop red eyes or a rash. Headaches are also common.

Caleb Ward is one pediatric emergency physician with Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC, where he says cases of mycoplasma pneumonia are about tenfold this year. He says the good news is that many cases tend to be mild — which is why it’s often called walking pneumonia.

“People historically may have gone to school, gone to work, assuming they just had some kind of mild, cold virus and actually had mycoplasma pneumonia,” says Ward.

New York City has also seen an increase in cases. Dr. Adam Ratnerdirector of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at New York University and Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital, says people of any age can be affected, although the infection is typically seen in children and teenagers ages 5 to 17.

But “that has changed in the last year with this current increase,” Ratner says. While the infection is still more common in older children, he says they are seeing more cases in the 2-4 year old range. “It’s being seen nationally, and it’s consistent with what we’re seeing here,” said Ratner, who is also a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Infectious Diseases.

Sharma, Ward and Ratner agree that most children can be treated at home — just keep them hydrated, give them age-appropriate fever medicine as needed and make sure they get plenty of rest. If a child is over 1 year old, honey can help relieve coughs.

As for when to call the doctor, Ward says, “if parents or caregivers notice that their child is having trouble breathing, isn’t drinking enough fluids to stay hydrated, seems much more sleepy than usual, or if they remain sick – especially with a fever – for more than five days, they should be evaluated by a healthcare provider.”

Mycoplasma pneumonia is easily treated with antibiotics, says Dr. Preeti Sharma as long as you get the right one. Amoxicillin – the best antibiotic for children with other types of pneumonia – does not work against mycoplasma pneumonia, so a macrolide antibiotic like Azithromycin is needed.

Sharma says children can go back to school once they’ve been fever-free, without the use of antipyretics, for at least 24 hours — as long as they feel physically ready.

Just know that symptoms like a cough and runny nose can persist for weeks, and they can still shed infectious bacteria all the time. Doctors say that’s one reason why outbreaks of mycoplasma pneumonia tend to last a long time.

So it’s a good time to remind kids – and ourselves – to wash our hands and cover our coughs and sneezes. After all, the winter season for respiratory viruses has just begun.

This story was edited by Jane Greenhalgh