Cases of so-called “walking pneumonia” are surging across the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned.
The highly contagious infection primarily affects young children, the same source said.
From March 31st to October 5th of this year, the proportion of infected children rose from 1% to 7.2% in children aged 2 to 4 years, and from 3.6% to 7.4% in children aged 5 to 17 years. officials said.
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Fox News Digital spoke on camera with Dr. Mark Siegel, a senior medical analyst at Fox News, about what people need to know about this condition.
What is walking pneumonia?
Cases of so-called “walking pneumonia” are surging across the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned. (St. Petersburg)
Walking pneumonia, also known as “atypical pneumonia,” is defined by the Cleveland Clinic as a “mild lung infection.” It tends to feel like a bad cold or the flu.
Usually caused by exposure to bacteria, viruses, or mold, the condition causes swelling of the airways and fluid in the lungs.
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“Walking pneumonia is milder than full lobar pneumonia, where the entire area of the lungs is white with bacteria and viruses,” Siegel told Fox News Digital.
“Walking pneumonia generally refers to patchy pneumonia in which the pathogen does not affect a specific area of the lung.”
Symptoms of infection
According to the Cleveland Clinic, signs of atypical pneumonia may include:
Sore throat, low-grade fever, chest pain, and cough are some of the common symptoms of atypical pneumonia. (St. Petersburg)
- sore throat
- extreme fatigue
- chest pain or discomfort
- slight fever
- mild chills
- Cough (usually the longest lasting symptom)
- sneeze
- headache
Siegel said the type of cough is an important distinguishing factor between traditional pneumonia and walking pneumonia.
“If you have a classic, roaring bacterial pneumonia, you might have a green, brown, or dark yellow cough,” he says.
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“But if you have walking pneumonia, you may have white mucus. Or you may not have a cough at all.”
The condition also does not cause the high fever associated with full-blown pneumonia, he noted.
As the name suggests, you may be able to walk around and carry out daily activities with this less severe type of pneumonia.
A cough, although it may not be a wet cough, is one of the longest-lasting symptoms of walking pneumonia. (St. Petersburg)
“You're not walking around with a big bacterial pneumonia with high blood counts, high fever, and chest pain,” Siegel says.
But even if it seems mild, this type of infection may still require medical attention, doctors warned.
“Doctors who aren't paying attention to this could mistake this for another type of virus.”
Siegel says the condition is often overlooked because it's often mistaken for something else.
“Doctors who are not paying attention to this may mistake this for another type of virus and may not realize that it may actually be an atypical bacterial pneumonia. '' he told Fox News Digital.
Causes of walking pneumonia
Siegel pointed out that several different types of bacteria, primarily mycoplasma, can cause walking pneumonia.
“This is mycoplasma season,” he said. “It's an atypical bacteria that can be treated with certain antibiotics.”
Doctors have warned that Bordetella pertussis, the bacterium that causes whooping cough, can cause walking pneumonia. (St. Petersburg)
Bordetella pertussis, the bacteria that causes whooping cough, can also cause walking pneumonia.
“We've seen a huge resurgence of whooping cough this year, especially among young children,” Siegel said.
“My concern is that we're missing out on atypical bacteria that would disappear much more quickly if treated with antibiotics.”
He warned that Legionella, another bacteria that can cause pneumonia, can be spread through water and air conditioning equipment.
Certain viruses, such as respiratory syncytial virus, can also cause pneumonia.
“Influenza does not normally cause pneumonia, but when these infections are combined with influenza, they can cause secondary pneumonia. This is also the case with the new coronavirus,” Professor Siegel pointed out.
“Influenza usually does not cause pneumonia, but these infections in addition to influenza can cause secondary pneumonia,” the doctor warned. (St. Petersburg)
Doctors said the resurgence of these pneumonia-causing bacteria and viruses could be a delayed effect of mask-wearing and lockdowns that occurred during the pandemic.
“Furthermore, we are not fully vaccinated,” he said. “And doctors are not paying enough attention…I encourage doctors to be on the lookout for atypical pneumonia.”
Who is most at risk?
Siegel said he is most concerned about young children becoming infected with these atypical bacteria. This is because children's lungs are not fully developed and may not have the ability to fight off germs.
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“I'm also concerned about the elderly, people with weakened immune systems and people with chronic illnesses, especially those with lung diseases such as asthma and emphysema. They have the resources to fight it. “There may not be any,” he said.
Siegel said if there is a virus behind walking pneumonia, it may be cured without treatment, but the symptoms may last longer.
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“My concern is that we are overlooking atypical bacteria that would disappear much more quickly if treated with antibiotics,” the doctor said.
“Things like mycoplasma, legionella, whooping cough, that's what I'm most concerned about here.”
Healthcare providers can diagnose walking pneumonia by performing a physical exam, listening to the patient's lungs, performing blood tests, and/or taking a chest x-ray. (St. Petersburg)
According to the Cleveland Clinic, health care professionals can diagnose walking pneumonia by doing a physical exam, listening to the patient's lungs, blood tests, and chest X-rays.
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Bacterial pneumonia is treated with antibiotics. For viral pneumonia, over-the-counter medications can help relieve symptoms.
Experts also recommend drinking plenty of fluids, getting plenty of rest, and using a humidifier to keep your airways open.
