Children with pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma bacteria are increasing, easily confused with the flu.

According to doctors, if not diagnosed correctly and treated promptly, the disease will become serious, leading to respiratory failure and endangering the child's life.

According to information from the National Children's Hospital, currently, the Hospital's Respiratory Center receives 150-160 inpatients every day, of which cases infected with Mycoplasma Pneumoniae bacteria account for about 30%, meaning that every day there are about 30-40 patients being treated.

The most recent case is a child patient (8 years old, in Lao Cai ). Before that, the child had a high fever and cough, the family took the child to a nearby hospital and was diagnosed with viral fever. The child was monitored at home for 3 more days but the fever did not go away.

The child was admitted to the Respiratory Center (National Children's Hospital) on the 5th day of illness, with symptoms of high fever, dry cough, rash all over the body, and chest X-ray showing lobar pneumonia. The child was ordered by doctors to undergo specialized tests to accurately identify the type of bacteria causing the above condition.

The Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Real-time PCR test result was positive. After 5 days of treatment with specific antibiotics, the patient is now alert, no fever, no difficulty breathing, and the lungs have significantly improved.

Another case is a child patient LDT (10 years old, in Thai Binh ) who was brought to the Respiratory Center in a state of severe cough with continuous high fever, chest pain, difficulty breathing, and rash all over the body. He was treated at a lower-level hospital for 9 days without improvement. After being admitted to the hospital, taking a medical history and clinical examination, and taking an X-ray, the doctors diagnosed the child with left lobar pneumonia/pleural effusion caused by Mycoplasma. Currently, after more than 10 days of treatment, the child is alert, eating well, has no chest pain, no difficulty breathing, and can be discharged in the next few days.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Le Thi Hong Hanh, Director of the Respiratory Center (National Children's Hospital), pneumonia has many causes, of which Mycoplasma Pneumoniae (atypical bacteria) is an important agent causing community-acquired pneumonia in children. The disease occurs in all ages, but is more common in older children.

When Mycoplasma Pneumoniae bacteria enter the body, the incubation period is about 2 to 3 weeks. After this time, the disease will develop and go through the following symptoms: Initially, children have symptoms of respiratory tract inflammation: sneezing, runny nose, fever. Children with pneumonia may have high fever, continuous fever from 39 to 40 degrees Celsius. In addition, children also cough a lot, cough in bouts, cough accompanied by difficulty breathing, rapid breathing. Older children may have chest pain, headache, muscle pain, muscle stiffness...

In particular, children with Mycoplasma pneumonia may have other extrapulmonary complications such as conjunctivitis, skin rash, cardiovascular complications, gastrointestinal and urinary complications, etc.

Doctor Hanh analyzed that bacterial or viral pneumonia in general and Mycoplasma Pneumoniae pneumonia in particular are transmitted through contact through droplets. Up to now, there is no vaccine to prevent Mycoplasma.

Therefore, to ensure prevention for children, parents need to ensure some principles such as washing hands with soap, ensuring children live in a clean, airy environment, and not coming into contact with children showing signs of cough or fever. In addition, parents should give their children appropriate nutrition to help strengthen their resistance. Food has full nutritional components, ensuring adequate vitamins and minerals.

Doctors recommend that if parents see symptoms such as respiratory tract infection, high fever, cough and difficulty breathing in their children, especially in older children aged 4-10 years old, they should take their children to specialized medical facilities for examination, early diagnosis and timely treatment./.

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