Global Concern Over Pneumonia Outbreak in Children

China's mycoplasma pneumoniae outbreak raises alarm due to antibiotic resistance and unusual infection patterns.

China is reportedly experiencing an outbreak of respiratory disease, which seems to hit children the hardest. The Chinese authorities from the National Health Commission waited until Nov. 13 to announce an increase in the incidence of respiratory diseases.
China attributed the surge in child hospitalizations to mycoplasma pneumoniae, a bacterium that infects the lungs. However, foreign experts found the increase in hospitalization and the pattern of infections among Chinese children “unusual.”
The pathogen in China has developed resistance to antibiotics known as macrolides. This resistance might be contributing to this year’s high levels of hospitalization from M. pneumoniae because it can hinder treatment and slow recovery from bacterial pneumonia infections.
Other countries, including the Netherlands and the United States, have also reported an increase in pediatric pneumonia.
The CDC and WHO have been upfront asserting that it is not a new pathogen and are monitoring the situation closely.