In the 0-2 year age group, visits to the emergency room increased by 44%. The cause would be Mycoplasma pneumoniae, also implicated in the situation in China
Cases of pneumonia in children are also increasing in France. A few days after the alert arrived from China, the emergency rooms across the Alps are besieged by small patients, especially between zero and 2 years old, with severe fatigue, fever, persistent and deep cough. Responsible for pneumonia would be the “usual” mycoplasma pneumoniae (a very widespread bacterium that causes respiratory tract infections, particularly in childhood), also implicated in the situation in China. The boom in cases in France is evident from the emergency room bulletin relating to the last few weeks: in the 0-2 year age group, access increased by 44%, “only” by 23% in the 2-14 year age group. In general, care activity in the pediatric area has doubled compared to the same period last year and the previous one.
«No alarm»
Fabrizio Pregliasco, virologist at the State University of Milan, underlines that the increase in cases does not represent an alarm, but “attention at an institutional, national and international level” is necessary. «Systematic surveillance is needed — he adds —. Covid has helped strengthen these systems. Let’s keep the levels high so as not to be caught unprepared.” The phenomenon in France, continues the virologist, «it may have the same cause as childhood pneumonia in China. Mycoplasma is a bacterium with particular characteristics and the return to community life, without the restrictions to which the pandemic had forced us, brings with it some risks. Furthermore, we are in a period of increased circulation of these microorganisms.”
Already known pathogens
In recent days, following a request for official information from theWorld Health OrganizationChinese health authorities said the pneumonia cases are due to known pathogens: influenza virus, rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, bacteria. The hypothesis of a new pathogen would therefore be averted, as happened at the beginning of 2019 with Sars-CoV-2. «I hope that China tells the whole truth in the most transparent way regarding the increase in lung infections in children, because the doubt remains that they were slow in reacting to Covid – comments Pregliasco -. Even in Italy there was an increase in cases, especially among children, last year and two years ago (with several bronchiolitis epidemics). The exit from the emergency measures against the pandemic in China took longer, the reopenings were later, so what is happening may be understandable.”
Cases in Vietnam
Vietnam is also facing an increase in respiratory diseases compared to the numbers recorded in the past at this same time of year. However, the peak would have already been reached and cases would be decreasing. Several doctors have noted that coughing is not the only symptom and recommended that parents also monitor headaches, runny nose, lethargy (pathological tiredness and fatigue), and an acceleration in the rate of breathing.
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November 27, 2023 (modified November 27, 2023 | 4:02 pm)
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