This is the bacteria linked to China’s childhood pneumonia epidemic: ‘Resistant strains are spreading around the world’

Rise in respiratory disease primarily affecting children in China raises concerns World Health Organization (WHO). In a statement on Wednesday, November 22, the world’s top health authority confirmed that it had sent a formal request to the Asian country for details on the rise in cases.One of the most widespread diseases is “Walking Pneumonia” or “flow”, depending on Bloomberg, infection also known as “atypical pneumonia”,Confirmed spanish information network Spanish Journal of Chemotherapy. This condition is caused by bacteria Mycoplasma pneumoniae, the ProMed global surveillance system indicates that this large-scale outbreak in Asian countries may be related to this bacteria. Five Spanish doctors published a study about him.

“Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a bacterium that lacks a cell wall. causing infections around the world, an epidemic occurs every 4-7 years, or is endemic. Its clinical manifestations occur mainly in the respiratory tract and is a common cause of atypical pneumonia,” they explained in the study titled “Atypical Pneumonia.” Mycoplasma pneumoniae and macrolide resistance: do we know the situation in Europe? And published in the above-mentioned scientific journal on March 27, 2023.

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Among them are Ana Isabel Álvaro Varela, Aitziber Aguinaga Pérez, Ana Navascués Ortega, Jesús Castilla Catalán and Carmen Ezpeleta Baquedano (physicians at the Institute of Health Research of Navarra), as well as at other centers such as the Clinical Microbiology Service of the University Hospital of Navarra, they analyzed Prevalence The epidemiology and symptom Its causes, treatments, and why it has become one of the key public health issues in China: Macrolide resistanceA sort of antibiotic For the treatment of.

As we have already mentioned, the Mycoplasma pneumoniae bacterium is one of the triggers of SARS, an infection defined as “associated with Extrapulmonary Clinic, chest X-ray shows a patchy or interstitial radiological pattern, the pathogen cannot be identified by Gram stain or traditional sputum culture, and there is no response to beta-lactam antibiotics. ”

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It spreads from person to person “Close contact with infected respiratory droplets” The incubation period is 2 to 3 weeks, and diagnosis is based on culture, serology, and nucleic acid amplification methods ( polymerase chain reaction is the preferred option).

In Spain, infections caused by this bacterium are not included in the national surveillance system, so there are no data on the presence of this bacterium in our country. Of course, it’s estimated that there are about 2 million cases of this type of pneumonia in the United States each year, resulting in 100,000 hospitalizations.

For those most affected, children as adult They can become infected. However, cases are rare in children under one year old and more common between 5 and 15 years of age.

When identifying symptoms, it is important to host immune status, as it has a direct impact on the severity of the infection.In this sense, the study suggests that, for adults, it may be Asymptomatic infections “very frequent”. Of course, when the opposite occurs and symptoms appear, it can be difficult to distinguish it from other respiratory infections.

Here are the most common symptoms that can last for weeks and months:

• Chills all over.
• fever.
• cough.
• Headache.
• Myalgia.
• Joint pain.
• General discomfort.

Experts point out that most Case There are pneumonia “Moderate and limited”, although “severe cases” sometimes arise. In addition, “tracheobronchitis with multiple upper respiratory tract symptoms such as pharyngitis or rhinitis” is also common in children.

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In addition to respiratory problems, 25% of those infected may suffer from other complications unrelated to this area of ​​health. The Spanish survey details the most important ones:

• skin: Stevens-Johnson syndrome (the most common source of infection associated with this syndrome), rash, erythema multiforme, urticaria.
• Neurology: Meningoencephalitis, encephalitis, meningitis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, optic neuritis.
• hematology: Hemolytic anemia, autoimmune anemia, thrombocytopenia, Henoch-Schonlein purpura.
• heart: Myocarditis, pericarditis, endocarditis.
• Musculoskeletal: Myalgia, arthritis, rhabdomyolysis.
• Digestion: Gastritis, pancreatitis, hepatitis.
• other: Glomerulonephritis, Kawasaki disease.

Infections with this bacteria can heal alone No treatment is required for seven to 10 days. However, in most cases, antibiotic treatment is necessary.His governing goal is Improve symptomsshorten the course of the disease and cure problems outside the respiratory tract.

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In this sense, the most commonly used antibiotics (especially in children) are macrolidesbecause “they have anti-inflammatory and antibiotic effects.” More specifically, they choose Azithromycin, Roxithromycin anyone Clarithromycin Because of its good tolerance and ease of administration. Dosage and frequency are prescribed by your doctor.

Although antibiotics are effective in most patients, a problem arises in their administration: resistance in Mycoplasma pneumoniae is increasing globally, especially in Asia. In fact, China is one of the fastest growing countries.

“this Resistance rate In China, this proportion has increased from 40% in 2008 to More than 79% in the next ten years”, they explain in the study. In Spain the proportion is 8%, while in Italy it is the highest among major European countries at 26%.

These resistance phenomena are also more common in children than in adults, Prolong the duration of symptoms Examples include fever and cough, as well as length of stay in hospital and antibiotics.