Pulmonary Hypertension in Children

This Deceiving Respiratory Illness Is On The Rise In N.J., Health Officials Warn

Health officials are warning people to be on the lookout for symptoms of Mycoplasma pneumoniae-associated pneumonia, a common but potentially serious respiratory infection, amid a rise in cases across New Jersey and the United States.

Since late spring, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has observed an increase in the percentage of pneumonia-associated emergency department visits with a discharge diagnosis of M. Pneumoniae. The increase is greatest among children, growing from 1.0% to 7.2% among ages 2–4 years and from 3.6% to 7.4% among ages 5–17 years, according to discharge data from March 31 through Oct. 5.

"The increase in children ages 2–4 years is notable because M. Pneumoniae historically hasn't been recognized as a leading cause of pneumonia in this age group," the CDC wrote in an Oct. 18 report.

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New Jersey is experiencing a similar increase in cases of M. Pneumoniae, according to an advisory released last week by the New Jersey Department of Health.

M. Pneumoniae infections are common, with an estimated two million infections occurring each year in the United States, according to the CDC.

However, since there's no national reporting or dedicated surveillance system to track these infections, the exact number of cases is unknown.

The state Department of Health did not respond immediately Tuesday to questions about the number of cases in New Jersey.

M. Pneumoniae infections are often mild and mostly present as a chest cold but could also present as pneumonia, according to the CDC. Symptoms can include fever, cough, and a sore throat. Younger children may have different symptoms, such as diarrhea, wheezing, or vomiting.

Because the symptoms are usually mild, people with M. Pneumoniae infections can seem better than expected for someone with a lung infection. They might not stay home and can pose a risk to others when going out. For this reason, medical professional have dubbed M. Pneumoniae-associated pneumonia as "walking pneumonia," according to the CDC.

The illness is spread by respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. To prevent further spread, residents should practice good hygiene and cover coughs and sneezes.

Since most infections are observed among school-aged children and adolescents, the New Jersey Department of Health is asking schools to notify their local health department about any spikes in cases, as it could signify an outbreak is occurring.

The Communicable Disease Service can be reached at 609-826-5964 during business hours and via email CDS.COV.SIC@doh.Nj.Gov.

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Jackie Roman may be reached at jroman@njadvancemedia.Com.

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Bronchitis Vs. Pneumonia: How To Spot The Key Differences

Bronchitis and pneumonia can both cause coughing, chest congestion, and chills. But while bronchitis is an infection of the bronchial tubes, which carry air into the lungs, pneumonia is an infection in the alveoli, the air sacs where oxygen passes into the bloodstream.

The causes of bronchitis vs. Pneumonia also differ. Bronchitis is usually caused by a virus. Pneumonia can be viral, bacterial, or fungal. This, of course, impacts treatment: Bronchitis is usually left to run its course. Pneumonia, on the other hand, may require prescription medications, and, in some cases, hospitalization.

Symptoms of Bronchitis vs. Pneumonia Pneumonia and bronchitis have similar symptoms, but critical differences as well. Here is a side-by-side comparison of bronchitis and pneumonia symptoms. Understanding Bronchitis Acute bronchitis is inflammation of the airways that lead to the lungs. It can occur after a viral illness such as the common cold or flu, or occasionally, it can develop on its own. Typically bronchitis is viral, meaning that antibiotics are not helpful in treating it. Symptoms of bronchitis include: Persistent cough (with or without mucus) Sore throat Chest pain (worse with cough) Chest congestion Wheezing Shortness of breath Chills Body aches Acute bronchitis can resolve on its own within about a week, but the cough may linger for weeks or even months. If you've been diagnosed with bronchitis and your symptoms worsen or change significantly, you may have developed another infection. Contact your healthcare provider to be seen again if this happens. Treating Bronchitis

Acute bronchitis is most often caused by a virus, so antibiotics are rarely prescribed. Antibiotics are ineffective against viruses, and using them to treat a viral infection only leads to antibiotic resistance.

Occasionally, bronchitis is caused by bacteria. If your healthcare provider believes this is the case, they may prescribe antibiotics to treat it at that time. More often, however, treating acute bronchitis simply means finding relief from the symptoms until the illness resolves.

You may find over-the-counter (OTC) medications helpful, and you should try to rest as much as possible and increase your fluid intake as well.

And although acute bronchitis is bothersome, it is typically not as severe as pneumonia.

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Understanding Pneumonia Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. Although both illnesses can cause a painful cough, pneumonia also causes other significant symptoms. People with pneumonia typically feel much worse than a person with bronchitis would. Symptoms of pneumonia may include: Fever Chest pain Productive cough (may be described as a "moist" or "wet" cough) Painful and frequent cough Shortness of breath Headache Fatigue Chills There are many types of pneumonia and some are more serious than others. The most common type of pneumonia in adults is bacterial pneumonia. It can cause severe illness and is a leading cause of death among Americans. The CDC reports that approximately 150,000 Americans are hospitalized yearly with pneumococcal pneumonia—the most common type of pneumonia. Thousands die from it as well. Treating Pneumonia Treatment for pneumonia will depend on the cause, but if you have bacterial pneumonia, you will almost always need to be treated with antibiotics. Other over-the-counter medications may be helpful to deal with the symptoms as well but talk with your healthcare provider about which options are suitable for you. Getting adequate rest is essential when you have pneumonia. It is a severe illness that takes time to heal and recover from. There are less severe forms of pneumonia—like walking pneumonia—that come with milder symptoms and don't always need to be treated with antibiotics. Your healthcare provider will determine your pneumonia type based on your symptoms, a physical exam, and tests. A Word From Verywell How to know if your cough needs antibiotics is a very common question. Your healthcare provider is there for you to diagnose your illness, determine proper treatment, and answer any questions you may have to help you feel better. 7 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Kinkade S, Long NA. Acute Bronchitis. Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(7):560–5. American Academy of Family Physicians. Acute Bronchitis. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. National Institutes of Health. Bronchitis. Mattila JT, Fine MJ, Limper AH, Murray PR, Chen BB, Lin PL. Pneumonia. Treatment and diagnosis. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2014;11 Suppl 4:S189–92. Doi:10.1513/AnnalsATS.201401-027PL National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Pneumonia. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccine-preventable adult diseases. American Academy of Family Physicians. Pneumonia. By Kristina Herndon, RNKristina Herndon, BSN, RN, CPN, has been working in healthcare since 2002. She specializes in pediatrics and disease and infection prevention.   Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error

Long-Covid Like Condition Common After Respiratory Infections, Finds Study

Those with Long Covid are more likely to suffer from continued fatigue, breathlessness, and even brain fog

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Long-Covid like condition common after respiratory infections, finds study

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Long-Covid -- continued illness post Covid-19 -- is common after other respiratory infections, according to a study.

A team of researchers from the University of Oxford in the UK analysed data from 190,000 participants. They classified them into: people hospitalised with Covid and those hospitalised with other lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). These were then compared with a reference group with no LRTI hospitalisations.

Participants completed surveys reporting on 45 different physical and psychological symptoms observed across the ear, nose, and throat; respiratory; neurological; gastrointestinal; and musculoskeletal systems. The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, showed that people hospitalised with Covid had higher risks of 23 out of 45 symptoms. Similarly, those hospitalised for non-Covid LRTIs had 18 out of 45. Dr. Junqing Xie from NDORMS at the varsity said the "post-acute effects of Covid-19 are not unique". These "can also occur with other severe respiratory infections," explained Junqing. While those with Long Covid are more likely to suffer from continued fatigue, breathlessness, and even brain fog. Some previous studies have shown that Covid patients are also likely to have a persistent loss of taste. However, neurological and cognitive symptoms were also observed in the latest study. They found that problems with thinking and communicating were higher than in the reference group. But it was also higher than those hospitalised for other LRTIs. Junqing called for expanding understanding of long-term health consequences that can arise from other severe respiratory infections. This is when healthcare systems worldwide continue to grapple with the after-effects of the Covid pandemic. He also stressed the need for recognising differences/similarities between post-acute infections caused by a different virus. This can help plan better preventive measures and tailored care for these patients. Also Read: Delhi air pollution: Doctors report 30 per cent rise in asthma, COPD cases This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.Com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

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