Walking Pneumonia Cases Are Spiking: How to Spot the Symptoms

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWho Can Get Walking Pneumonia and How Does It Spread?Why Are Walking Pneumonia Cases Rising?What Are the Symptoms of Walking Pneumonia?How Does Walking Pneumonia Present Differently From the Common Cold?How Does a Pneumonia Cough Sound or Feel?When Should You See a Doctor?

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Who Can Get Walking Pneumonia and How Does It Spread?

Why Are Walking Pneumonia Cases Rising?

What Are the Symptoms of Walking Pneumonia?

How Does Walking Pneumonia Present Differently From the Common Cold?

How Does a Pneumonia Cough Sound or Feel?

When Should You See a Doctor?

Cases ofMycoplasma pneumoniaeinfection—or “walking pneumonia”—are surging in the United States, especially among children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Walking pneumonia is a milder form of pneumonia, according toMichael Chang, MD, an infectious disease physician at UTHealth Houston. An estimated 2 million infections occur each year in the U.S. However, without a national reporting system to track these infections, the exact number is hard to determine, Chang said.

Here’s what you need to know about walking pneumonia, why cases might be rising, and how to spot the infection.

Walking pneumonia can affect anyone but is most common in school-aged children, adolescents, and young adults.It’s rarely diagnosed in preschool-aged children, who are much more likely to have viral lower respiratory tract infections, viral pneumonia, or “classic” bacterial pneumonia.

Walking Pneumonia vs. Pneumonia: What Are the Differences?

It’s unclear why cases are spiking now, but factors like warm weather, children returning to school, and adults resuming in-person work may all play a role, according toSharon Nachman, MD, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.

“It is also possible that our ability to rapidly test for this pathogen via PCR testing may have contributed to the spike of recognized cases,” Nachman told Verywell in an email.

Chang said that cyclical patterns might also explain the rise. Walking pneumonia tends to spike every three to seven years, but it’s hard to predict these spikes without a national surveillance system. These surges typically begin in late summer or early fall. Since symptoms may take 2–3 weeks to appear, people can unknowingly spread the infection, making transmission easier.

“Furthermore, some patients can shedMycoplasmafor months even after receiving appropriate antibiotics,” Chang said.

Chang also pointed out that immunity gaps could be contributing to the increase. During the COVID-19 pandemic, children were exposed to fewer germs, potentially weakening their immune defenses.

“This immunity gap may make children more susceptible to infections now, coinciding with a seasonal epidemic,” he added.

While some immunity develops after a walking pneumonia infection, Chang said it’s unclear how long that protection lasts, and people can become infected multiple times throughout their lives.

Why the CDC Now Recommends the Pneumonia Vaccine for Adults Aged 50 and Older

Walking pneumonia shares symptoms with common upper respiratory infections, such as fever, runny nose, and cough, which aren’t specific to any particular virus or bacteria.

Chang added that in younger children, the infection is often mild or asymptomatic, though it can cause serious breathing problems in those with weakened immune systems. According to the CDC, other common symptoms include fatigue, chills, and shortness of breath.

In rare cases,M. pneumoniaecan cause acute central nervous system (CNS) illnesses, possibly due to antibodies that mistakenly target brain cells.

Is Pneumonia Contagious?

“Viral infections often spread quickly from person to person within a household, so if siblings or family members get sick within a few days of each other, it’s more likely to be a virus that is causing the symptoms,” Chang said. If the illness spreads more slowly, with a week or two between cases,Mycoplasmacould be the cause.

A key feature ofMycoplasmapneumoniae is coughing in bursts or “fits,” where patients struggle to catch their breath. This cough can linger for a month or more, unlike most viral infections that resolve faster.

Parents should also watch for signs of labored breathing in children, like neck or rib muscle straining or difficulty with physical activities such as climbing stairs, Nachman advised. Always consult your child’s healthcare provider if these symptoms appear.

A pneumonia cough can vary depending on the type of infection. With typical bacterial pneumonia, the cough is usually “wet,” producing mucus, phlegm, or even pus, Chang said. Chest pain is also common, especially with deep breaths, and the pain may get worse depending on your position, like lying down.

Nachman emphasized that pneumonia doesn’t produce the characteristic “whoop” of whooping cough or the “barking” sound of croup. Some children may cough so hard they vomit mucus, while others may swallow it, which can reduce their appetite.

There are no vaccines available to preventMycoplasmainfections.

If you or someone you know experiences shortness of breath, wheezing, or have difficulty completing sentences, Chang recommends seeking medical attention right away. In infants, trouble feeding can also signal a more serious viral infection. If fever worsens after a week, parents should consult a healthcare provider.

Chang said it’s worth noting that many providers don’t check forMycoplasmaor have testing available, so it may be difficult to confirm the diagnosis. However, if a provider suspectsMycoplasma, antibiotics like azithromycin or doxycycline are usually prescribed.

“Antibiotics are most helpful if started within three to four days of the start of symptoms,” Chang said. “After that, it isn’t clear how much antibiotics help if patients have already developed coughing fits. It isn’t clear if antibiotics help that to resolve faster.”

What Are the Best Antibiotics to Treat Pneumonia?

What This Means For YouMycoplasma pneumoniaecases, also known as walking pneumonia, are spiking in the U.S., especially among children. If you suspect that you or your child may have walking pneumonia due to symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing, or difficulty speaking, it’s important to seek medical attention.

What This Means For You

Mycoplasma pneumoniaecases, also known as walking pneumonia, are spiking in the U.S., especially among children. If you suspect that you or your child may have walking pneumonia due to symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing, or difficulty speaking, it’s important to seek medical attention.

3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Mycoplasma pneumoniaeinfections have been increasing.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Mycoplasma pneumoniaeinfection: causes and how it spreads.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.

3 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Mycoplasma pneumoniaeinfections have been increasing.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Mycoplasma pneumoniaeinfection: causes and how it spreads.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Mycoplasma pneumoniaeinfections have been increasing.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Mycoplasma pneumoniaeinfection: causes and how it spreads.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Mycoplasma pneumoniaeinfections have been increasing.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Mycoplasma pneumoniaeinfection: causes and how it spreads.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.

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