Meanwhile, four years ago, an unknown virus began spreading in China until it became a global health crisis known today as the COVID-19 pandemic. The world has changed forever and whether this will happen again has become a common question. Against this background, it is not surprising that the World Health Organization (WHO) closely monitors and analyzes data from national health surveillance systems and issues alerts for any possible anomalies.
Therefore, in mid-October, the World Health Organization reported Respiratory diseases increasing significantly in China, particularly affecting children.Chinese authorities, aware of the sharp decline in their public image following the COVID-19 outbreak, held a press conference on November 13 to acknowledge the rise in respiratory disease rates across the country and attributed it to ” Increased restrictions, the arrival of the cold season, and the spread of known pathogens such as influenza and bacteria Mycoplasma pneumoniaerespiratory syncytial virus or coronavirus itself.”
Even so, when the World Health Organization detected “undiagnosed pneumonia” outbreaks in children’s hospitals in Beijing, Liaoning and other places in China through PROMED, it was not satisfied with the explanation of the National Health Commission of China. WHO experts once again formally requested China to provide “more epidemiological and clinical information, as well as laboratory results of these reported cases and data on recent trends in respiratory pathogens.”
ALSO IN VIDEO: China’s hospitals overwhelmed with children suffering from respiratory illnesses
Fear of witnessing the spread of yet another unknown pathogen, coupled with a relationship with China that has always struggled to maintain transparency, led the World Health Organization and major scientific journals to quickly publish everything we know so far.
Just yesterday, “Nature” magazine published an article titled “What’s behind China’s mysterious wave of childhood pneumonia?” “Article. In it, he acknowledged that “although an increase in respiratory illnesses is expected after restrictions are lifted, what is happening in China is unusual.” The World Health Organization also published a report analyzing ” Increase in respiratory illnesses.”
Experts keep calm and explain Other countries have already experienced such increases when coronavirus-induced restrictions were lifted. The strict measures taken by China in its COVID 0 policy have also affected other viruses, and it is logical that when this barrier disappears, a peak in respiratory pathogens will occur.
In the case of China, the increase in cases among children is a direct indication of bacteria Mycoplasma pneumoniae Can produce a variety of respiratory symptoms, “the most common condition is tracheobronchitis, and most importantly atypical pneumonia“. This is a type of pneumonia that has been known for a long time, and although it can occur at any age, the most common age group is children between 5 and 15 years old.”
Symptoms of mycoplasma pneumonia or SARS are generally mild and resolve within a few weeks, and treatment with antibiotics is relatively simple.The problem now is Why relatively mild pneumonia, which usually doesn’t require hospitalization, hits children so hard. Epidemiologists consulted by Nature were not too surprised by the wave of pneumonia, explaining it as “a typical winter wave of respiratory infections, more severe this year, possibly due to Susceptibility to respiratory infections increases due to three years of anti-COVID measures“.
Strict national lockdowns, mask mandates and other measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 also prevent the spread of seasonal pathogens, giving people less chance of developing immunity to these microorganisms, a phenomenon known as “infection debt.” Explained in Nature. “If we consider that China has experienced a longer and more severe lockdown than almost any other country on the planet, then Wave of respiratory illnesses expected to be worse after China’s lockdown“.
Another factor to consider is Decreased effectiveness of antibiotics Used to treat these pneumonias. They’re called macrolides, and they’ve been overused during the years of the pandemic, which may have led to some resistance in the pathogen.We have research that shows Resistance rate Mycoplasma pneumoniae The usage rate of macrolide drugs in Beijing is between 70% and 90%.
All in all, the rise in respiratory disease cases in China does not appear to be a global crisis like COVID-19, but we learned a lot from that pandemic, which is why experts also advise against relaxing. “Our situation is very different from the coronavirus pandemic, but that doesn’t mean we can be complacent.”
Scientific references and more information:
World Health Organization report: Respiratory diseases among children in northern China surge
Conroy Gemma. “What’s behind China’s mysterious wave of childhood pneumonia?” Nature (November 2023) DOI: 10.1038/d41586-023-03732-w.
Special thanks to Ignacio Lopez Goni PhD in Biology, Popularizer and Professor of Microbiology, University of Pamplona, for his help in revising this article.