CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Cases of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection, commonly known as "walking pneumonia," are increasing in North Carolina and across the U.S.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cases have been on the rise since late spring. The bacterial infection is common among children ages 5 to 17 and young adults.
However, the CDC said cases are increasing among 2- to 4-year-olds.
Dr. Shaoleen Daly, a combined internal medicine and pediatrics physician at Novant Health’s Lakeside Primary Care Speedway in Concord, has noticed a similar trend.
“What's been interesting recently is that we're seeing a lot of kids, under age 6, with walking pneumonia, and that's not a typical age group,” Daly said.
She said it’s important to treat the bacterial infection, because as with any pneumonia, children can have shortness of breath or get dehydrated.
“Dehydration, poor oral intake, seizures, persistent cough, persistent fevers. Those are some things I want parents to be alert about and bring them as soon as possible,” Daly said.
Persistent fevers without improvement are also important to note, she said.
“Parents should really seek help when they're concerned that their fevers have been persistent for, I say, greater than two to three days and not a relieved with any Tylenol or ibuprofen,” Daly said.
Jenna Ainslie, a mom of three who lives in Charlotte, heard about the prevalence of walking pneumonia this year. This has guided where her children spend time this winter.
“It made me kind of nervous. And it's what really pushed us to have more of a separated winter this year. We're not spending a whole lot of time in public places like parks and stuff,” Daly said.
They spend time outside for the most part.
“During the winter, I kind of let them tag along and do like real-life projects with me,” Ainslie said.
However, when they are indoors they stay busy with the activity book Ainslie created and published called "Tracing for Toddlers — Letters, Numbers and Shapes!"
Two months ago, her 4-year-old daughter wasn’t as active as she is now because she had walking pneumonia.
“It was really scary. I thought she just had, like, a cold or a cough or something, but after like, two weeks, it just wasn't going away,” Ainslie said. “She was having 104-degree fevers there for a while, and she was sleeping for days at a time. Not really wanting to eat or anything at that point,” Ainslie said.
She said initially doctors thought it was bronchitis.
“After another week or so, she still had it, and she had to end up taking all sorts of medications and stuff just to get over it. It was pretty rough,” Ainslie said.
The bacterial infection spreads when someone infected coughs or sneezes.
Ainslie also changed the afterschool routine of her two older children.
“We jump in the shower immediately and then once somebody starts coughing or shows any signs, signs of being sick, then I kind of corner them off in part of the house,” Ainslie said.
Daly recommends handwashing as a way to prevent walking pneumonia.
She said walking pneumonia can be more difficult to diagnose than regular pneumonia. The symptoms may be similar, but they are treated with different antibiotics.
“It's different because what we notice is that the bacteria… instead of consolidated in the lung, it's more spread out,” Daly said.
She added hospitalization is possible with walking pneumonia due to dehydration or having trouble breathing.
The CDC said walking pneumonia began to re-emerge globally last year after fewer cases since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.