{"id":6576,"date":"2024-02-01T04:10:29","date_gmt":"2024-02-01T04:10:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthnewscentral.com\/?p=6576"},"modified":"2024-02-01T04:10:29","modified_gmt":"2024-02-01T04:10:29","slug":"is-white-lung-syndrome-the-reason-behind-all-the-recent-pneumonia-outbreaks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthnewscentral.com\/is-white-lung-syndrome-the-reason-behind-all-the-recent-pneumonia-outbreaks\/","title":{"rendered":"Is \u2018White Lung Syndrome\u2019 The Reason Behind All The Recent Pneumonia Outbreaks?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Pexels<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Recent reports of a surge in child pneumonia cases in various regions, including China and parts of the United States, have prompted concerns and discussions about potential causes.<\/p>\n

The World Health Organization<\/a> highlighted a mysterious increase in child pneumonia cases in China, suggesting a link to a condition termed \u201cwhite lung syndrome.\u201d<\/p>\n

Subsequently, health officials in Warren County, Ohio<\/a>, reported a significant rise in typical pediatric pneumonia cases, with 145 incidents reported in children aged 3 to 14 since August. Similar increases were noted in Massachusetts, as explained by Becker\u2019s Hospital Review<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Is there are true cause for concern?<\/p>\n

An infectious disease specialist and professor of preventive medicine and health policy at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine<\/a> in Nashville, Tennessee, William Schaffner, MD<\/a>, said, \u201cInitially, when we heard reports of an increase of a respiratory infections in China, many of us feared that we had seen this movie before, and it had the possibility of being like COVID.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

However, he also says that\u2019s not the case. He says, \u201cNow that data has been examined more closely, the opinion is that we are experiencing a seasonal increase in respiratory infection. It may be slightly more than usual but not unexpected.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

U.S. Pneumonia Rates Aligning with Standard Pre-Pandemic Levels<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Addressing these concerns, a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)<\/a>indicated that the weekly percentage of emergency department visits with diagnosed pneumonia<\/a> in the U.S. was generally consistent with pre-pandemic levels for children aged 0 to 4. There were slight increases above typical levels for children aged 5 to 17, but still within the expected range.<\/p>\n

The CDC<\/a> attributed these rises to viruses and bacteria typical during the respiratory illness season, emphasizing that they were not caused by a foreign pathogen.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese infections we are seeing in the United States are all with viruses and bacteria that are normally here,\u201d<\/strong><\/em> says Dr. Schaffner.<\/p>\n

According to CDC reports, the agency will persist in monitoring elevated cases of respiratory illness in the United States and globally, including China.<\/p>\n

What Has Been Causing the Recent Surge in Pneumonia Cases?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The identified pneumonia-causing pathogens in Ohio included Mycoplasma pneumoniae<\/a>, Streptococcus pneumoniae<\/a>, and adenovirus<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mycoplasma bacteria were also implicated in rising childhood pneumonia cases in Asia and Europe.<\/p>\n

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)<\/a> noted an increase in mycoplasma pneumonia in six European countries, emphasizing that such infections tend to surge every one to three years.<\/p>\n

The Pandemic Could Be Leading to Clusters of Pneumonia Cases<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Dr. William Schaffner suggests that the surge in pneumonia cases may be attributed, in part, to the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lockdowns and isolation periods have potentially led to a decrease in children developing immunity to mycoplasma infection.<\/p>\n

The reassuring aspect is that pneumonia resulting from mycoplasma infection is typically mild and seldom necessitates hospitalization, as highlighted by the New York State Department of Health<\/a>. Referred to colloquially as \u201cwalking pneumonia,\u201d individuals often maintain their daily routines despite this illness.<\/p>\n

The CDC notes that many individuals recover without requiring treatment, but for more severe infections, antibiotics can be beneficial. Nevertheless, caution is advised, as the American Lung Association<\/a> warns, \u201cDon\u2019t be deceived. Walking pneumonia can be distressing and is frequently accompanied by symptoms such as a cough, fever, chest pain, mild chills, and headache.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018White Lung Syndrome\u2019 Isn\u2019t a Real Condition<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Certain media outlets have been using the term \u201cwhite lung syndrome\u201d to describe pneumonia cases caused by mycoplasma, as lung inflammation can manifest as white patches on X-rays of individuals affected by pneumonia.<\/p>\n

Dr. Schaffner expresses concern over the adoption of this \u201cscary name,\u201d suggesting it may be generating unnecessary controversy.<\/p>\n

Infectious disease specialist Jake Scott, MD, from Stanford Medicine, issued a cautionary note on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), stating that \u201cwhite lung syndrome\u201d is a fabricated term. He emphasized that any form of pneumonia would exhibit as white areas on X-rays and computerized tomography (CT) scans, and clarified that \u201cIt\u2019s certainly not specific to Mycoplasma pneumoniae.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

If Possible, Avoid Pneumonia<\/strong><\/h3>\n

With people gathering more and more, especially when indoors, more respiratory infections may be expected.<\/p>\n

However, the American Lung Association suggests that people follow these tips to lessen their chances of getting pneumonia:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Ensure you receive your annual flu vaccine to minimize the risk of flu-related pneumonia.<\/li>\n
  • Consult with your doctor to determine eligibility for a pneumonia vaccine (noted that there is no vaccine for viral or mycoplasma pneumonia, but specific individuals should receive the pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine).<\/li>\n
  • Confirm with your doctor that your pertussis vaccine is current.<\/li>\n
  • Prioritize regular exercise, maintain a well-balanced diet, and ensure you get sufficient sleep.<\/li>\n
  • Practice frequent and thorough handwashing with warm, soapy water.<\/li>\n
  • Refrain from smoking.<\/li>\n
  • When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth, and encourage others to do the same to mitigate the spread of infections.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Recent reports of a surge in child pneumonia cases in various regions, including China and parts of the United States, have prompted concerns and discussions about potential causes. The World Health Organization highlighted a mysterious increase in child pneumonia cases in China, suggesting a link to a condition termed \u201cwhite lung syndrome.\u201d Subsequently, health officials […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":6577,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[16,1421,28,1981],"yoast_head":"\nIs \u2018White Lung Syndrome\u2019 The Reason Behind All The Recent Pneumonia Outbreaks?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The World Health Organization highlighted a mysterious increase in child pneumonia cases in China, suggesting a link to white lung syndrome.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/healthnewscentral.com\/is-white-lung-syndrome-the-reason-behind-all-the-recent-pneumonia-outbreaks\/\" \/>\n<meta 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