Children receive a drip at a children hospital in Beijing on November 23, 2023. (PHOTO: VCG)

By Staff Reporters

Hospitals in parts of China are experiencing a surge in Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections — a common cause of respiratory illness in young children.

Xu Baoping, director of the Respiratory Department at Beijing Children's Hospital, Zhao Shunying, director of the Second Respiratory Department at Beijing Children's Hospital, and Zhang Haidi, a paediatrician at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University provided answers to questions people have who are concerned by the recent infections.

Q: What is Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection?

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a pathogenic microorganism with a size between bacteria and viruses. Due to the lack of cell walls, it has a natural ability to resist antibiotics that target cell wall synthesis. Mycoplasma pneumoniae is mainly transmitted by droplets and direct contact, with an incubation period of one to three weeks.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections circulate sporadically throughout the year, with regional epidemics occurring every three to seven years, and children aged around five years are the most affected group.

Q: What are the symptoms of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection?

Mycoplasma pneumoniae usually causes a common cold. Symptoms include a sore throat, tiredness and a slowly worsening cough that can last for weeks or months.

Children with a severe cough and high fever that persists should be taken to see a paediatrician as soon as possible. If a child has symptoms of choking or breathlessness, parents can pat hard on his back to clear the airway and then go to hospital for treatment as soon as possible.

Q: How can it be prevented and controlled?

Most patients recover from an infection caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae without antibiotics. However, if someone develops pneumonia (lung infection), antibiotics are often prescribed to help them recover from the infection more quickly, if treatment is started early.

Children with refractory Mycoplasma infections and severe Mycoplasma infections require comprehensive treatment, such as glucocorticoids and interventional bronchoscopy. In February this year, the National Health Commission published the Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Mycoplasma Pneumonia in Children (2023 Edition), which aims to further standardise its diagnosis and treatment.

To prevent Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection, good personal hygiene habits should be developed, such as social distancing, hand hygiene, frequent ventilation, and wearing a mask if necessary. You should also keep warm when ventilating indoors in autumn and winter.