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In Ohio, a mother revealed her 14-year-old son’s hospitalization for pneumonia, indicative of a troubling rise in 'white lung' pneumonia cases among children in the U.S. The infection, primarily caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, has particularly impacted youngsters aged two to four born during the COVID-19 pandemic. August saw over 10 percent of emergency room visits for pneumonia in this age group diagnosed with the bacteria, a figure the CDC deemed unusual for this demographic.

In Baltimore, Alma Geddes, a three-year-old girl, struggled to breathe as her mother Alexis Geddes sat vigil by her hospital bed for four nights. Alma was diagnosed with mycoplasma pneumonia, nicknamed 'white lung' due to the characteristic white spots visible on patient X-rays. Despite Alma’s recovery after azithromycin treatment at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center, she remains fatigued and reliant on nebulizer treatments every four hours.

Data from March 31 to October 5, 2024, reveal a nationwide increase in M. pneumoniae case diagnoses across all ages, peaking in August. Children aged two to four saw cases rise from one percent to over seven percent, while children aged five to 17 experienced an increase from 3.6 percent to 7.4 percent. Without a national surveillance system, the true number of cases remains unknown.

Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, highlighted the irregular nature of mycoplasma pneumonia outbreaks, often occurring in schools and military bases in seemingly random clusters. The primary symptoms include persistent cough, fluctuating fever, and fatigue, with severe cases leading to pneumonia marked by fluid-filled air sacs in the lungs.

Recent reports indicate surges in mycoplasma pneumonia cases across states such as Texas and Washington, D.C. Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, recorded a 20 percent positivity rate in July, whereas last summer reported zero percent. Similarly, Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C., noted an uptick in cases over the past few weeks.

As the world adjusts post-COVID, healthcare professionals are seeing unexpected surges in infections like mycoplasma pneumonia. Dr. Vinay Gupta, a Seattle-based pulmonologist, observed that the pandemic has distorted traditional understanding of infectious disease patterns, with potential peaks occurring every three to four years. The current increase in 'white lung' pneumonia serves as a stark reminder of the evolving nature of public health challenges.