San Diego County’s public health department warned The region is amid a significant increase in cases of walking pneumonia, especially in children ages 2 to 4, local doctors said Friday, reflecting a recent national trend. observed By the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And this surge did not come alone. Whooping cough also makes a prominent appearance this fall.

The county health department warned on Thursday that 547 confirmed and probable cases of whooping cough were recorded in the district – also called whooping cough – The majority of cases affect 11 to 17-year-olds, with the number of cases so far this year compared to 332 cases in all of 2023. But the numbers are even more dazzling for walking pneumonia caused by the Mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria.

Characterized by high fever, cough, sore throat, headache, and fatigue, diagnoses of walking pneumonia in local emergency rooms quadrupled from October 19 to November 2, accounting for less than 0.2% of all diagnoses for children ages 2 to 4. It increased to 0.8%. A similar jump, although not as high, was also observed in children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 17.

In general, this type of pneumonia is less severe than other forms and is therefore called “walking” because it is less likely to result in hospitalization. However, this has not been the case with the current surge in cases.

Rady Children’s Hospital reported a large increase in walking pneumonia admissions; While only 13 children remained in hospital beds in all of 2023 and eight in 2022, 92 children have remained in hospital beds so far this year. Positive test results also increased significantly, from 61 to 532 last year. this year.

Whooping cough cases in Rady also rose from 57 last year to 211 this year, but the hospitalization rate is much lower, with only three people hospitalized in 2024.

Dr. Rady, an infectious disease specialist, said: Alice Pong stated that there was a time when coughing was very intense in hospitals.

“Some of it is due to whooping cough, some of it is due to mycoplasma, some of it is due to other viruses, and we’re starting to see the flu,” Pong said. “I think we’re going to continue to see more respiratory illnesses over the next month or two.

“That doesn’t mean everyone needs to quarantine or anything, but they just need to be smart and take precautions, wash their hands, avoid large crowds if you have immune system issues.”

Children who have trouble breathing should see a doctor, Pong said.

“If he has a persistent cough and fever, difficulty breathing, he should be taken to the pediatrician and examined, especially if it has been going on for three or four days and his condition is worsening,” Pong said. .

The county health department’s review of recent emergency room data shows that levels of walking pneumonia in adults are much lower. But the interim medical director of the county’s epidemiology and immunization services branch, Dr. Erik Berg said Friday that those numbers could be misleading. This is because doctors are much less likely to order the confirmatory tests needed to determine what type of pathogen is causing pneumonia symptoms in an adult.

“Typically, adults will not be tested for mycoplasma,” Berg said. “Standard practice for adults with pneumonia (ED) is to prescribe empiric therapy or antibiotics only to cover bacteria, including mycoplasma.”

Scripps Health recently reported an increase in positive mycoplasma pneumonia tests, with nearly 40 recorded in October compared to fewer than 10 in September. Twenty positives have already been documented in November. It was not clear how many of these were in adults.

Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside and Paradise Valley Hospital in National City said they had not observed similar increases.

Of these two threats, whooping cough is much more preventable; Because a vaccine has been available for decades that could significantly reduce the likelihood of those infected suffering severe disease. But babies remain by far the most vulnerable group.

DTaP vaccine protects against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough, but the first dose of the vaccine five dose series It is not applied until the newborn is two months old; Additional vaccinations are given at four months, six months, 15 to 18 months, and four to six years of age.

This means there is a two-month window after birth when newborns are most vulnerable. Pregnant mothers are strongly advised to receive the whooping cough vaccine in the third month of pregnancy; This vaccine allows their immune systems to produce protective antibodies that are transferred to their babies through the placenta before birth, providing important protection to close the gap until vaccination. can be given.

However, many do not accept this offer from their doctors. A county survey showed only 58% of San Diego County women received Tdap – adult version of the vaccine – During pregnancy, this rate drops to just 53.4% ​​in 2022.