In Chennai, mycoplasma pneumoniae infections surge, even as flu continues to do the rounds among children

Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection causes fever, cough and rash in children. Photograph used for representational purposes only
| Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA

There is no let-up when it comes to respiratory infections in Chennai. Some paediatric centres in the city are continuing to see children with mycoplasma pneumoniae infections.

Over the past few weeks, doctors have been diagnosing children with an infection caused by mycoplasma pneumoniae, a bacteria. During this season of respiratory infections, doctors are now raising the need to keep in mind mycoplasma pneumoniae infections to enable prompt diagnosis and treatment.

“We are still seeing a lot of cases of mycoplasma pneumoniae as well as viral pneumonia. Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection causes fever, cough and rash in children. Cough is the predominant symptom. It is known as walking pneumonia. Doctors usually take a chest X-ray to identify mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. A blood test (IgM) or nasopharyngeal swab (PCR) is also done,” said Janani Sankar, medical director, Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital.

Dr. Sankar said that mycoplasma pneumoniae could, at times, cause complications such as haemolytic anaemia and vasculitis. Complications could be due to a number of factors such as delayed diagnosis/reporting late for treatment, virulence of the organism and host factor.

“The flu is also still around, and is causing hypoxia and requiring Intensive Care Unit admission in some children. We are seeing cases of flu and mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in older children — aged five and above, and bronchiolitis caused by Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in younger children,” Dr. Sankar added.

J.K. Reddy, senior consultant, paediatrics, Apollo Children’s Hospital, said that cases of mycoplasma pneumoniae infections were being seen for the past two months. “In this season, mycoplasma pneumoniae infections should be thought of if symptoms in a child do not improve and if tests for other viruses such as influenza and RSV return negative. We should think of mycoplasma pneumoniae infections if a child has a high grade fever not settling in three days, bad cough and cold, breathing difficulty or breathing unusually, reduced urine output and poor oral intake. Such cases must reach a doctor,” he said.

Dr. Reddy added that cases of influenza A and B viruses are still around, and vaccination before the start of the monsoon will ensure protection.

E. Theranirajan, dean of Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, who is a paediatrician, said that mycoplasma pneumoniae was one of the causes of community-acquired pneumonia. It is commonly seen in school-going children aged five to 12 years. “Doctors suspect mycoplasma pneumoniae infections considering the age, symptoms, prolonged cough and radiological evidence. It is treated by prescribing macrolide antibiotics,” he said.