dotlah! dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
Social Links
  • zedreviews.com
  • citi.io
  • aster.cloud
  • liwaiwai.com
  • guzz.co.uk
  • atinatin.com
0 Likes
0 Followers
0 Subscribers
dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
  • Cities
  • People

How worried should we be about the pneumonia outbreak in China?

  • November 30, 2023
People wearing mask
Ng Han Guan/AP/AAP
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0

C Raina MacIntyre, UNSW Sydney; Ashley Quigley, UNSW Sydney; Haley Stone, UNSW Sydney, and Rebecca Dawson, UNSW Sydney

Reports of a surge in pneumonia-like illness primarily affecting children in northern China have captured our attention. The last time we heard about a mysterious respiratory outbreak leading to overcrowding in hospitals was the beginning of the COVID pandemic, so it’s not entirely surprising this has caused some alarm.

On November 22 the World Health Organization requested information from China about this surge. Chinese health authorities have since said the outbreak is due to a number of respiratory pathogens.

So what are the pathogens possibly causing this uptick in respiratory illness? And do we need to be concerned that any have pandemic potential? Let’s take a look.

Mycoplasma

One is a bacteria, Mycoplasma, which has been causing outbreaks of respiratory illness in China since June this year.

Mycoplasma is usually treated in the community with antibiotics and hospitalisation is not common. It can lead to a phenomenon called “walking pneumonia”, which is when the chest x-ray looks much worse than the patient appears.

In Taiwan, however, reports have suggested there’s a high level of antibiotic resistance to Mycoplasma, which may explain why it’s causing more hospital admissions.

Influenza

Influenza fell to very low levels during the first two years of the COVID pandemic due to masks, physical distancing and other measures. But once things began to return to “normal”, flu infections have tended to bounce back.

Influenza is most severe in children under age five and the elderly, so may be contributing to hospitalisations among children.

RSV and adenovirus

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can also be severe in children, and like influenza, all but disappeared during the first two years of the pandemic. But it’s now circulating widely.

Adenovirus, which can cause a range of syndromes including gastroenteritis and a flu-like illness, has also been reported as contributing to the current outbreak in China. There are reports of children vomiting and pictures of children receiving IV fluids, presumably for dehydration as a result of gastroenteritis.

The role of COVID

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, can also cause pneumonia, but less so in children. Early in the pandemic, we knew SARS-CoV-2 could show pneumonia on a chest scan in asymptomatic children, so COVID too can cause “walking pneumonia” in kids.

SARS-CoV-2 causes more deaths in children than influenza, so likely is contributing to the overcrowding seen in hospitals.

Some research suggests SARS-CoV-2 may also result in immune dysfunction after the infection, which may explain the unexpected rise of other infections, including streptococcal infections and Mycoplasma, since the pandemic.

Co-infections

People can become infected with SARS-CoV-2 and other bacteria or viruses at the same time, which may also explain the severity of the current epidemic. One study showed co-infection with SARS-CoV-2 and Mycoplasma is very common and results in more serious complications.

Could it be a new pandemic?

The below figure shows reports of outbreaks of unspecified influenza-like illness and pneumonia, together with known causes influenza A and B, SARS-CoV-2, RSV, pertussis (whooping cough), adenovirus and Mycoplasma. It confirms an increase in respiratory illnesses this year in China compared to the same time last year.

In contrast, the same comparison for the world shows a decrease this year compared to last year, which tells us China is indeed experiencing more respiratory illness than expected.

If no known cause for this surge had been identified, that would give us greater cause for concern. But several have been identified, which gives us confidence we are not dealing with a novel virus.

The virus we are most worried about with pandemic potential is avian influenza, which may mutate to become easily transmissible in humans. China has been an epicentre of avian flu in the past, but the spread of H5N1 has shifted to the Americas, Europe and Africa.

Still, this year, China has reported multiple human cases of various avian flu strains, including H3N8, H5N1, H5N6 and H9N2. With large and continual outbreaks in birds and mammals, there is a greater likelihood of mutations and mixing of bird and human influenza genetic material, which could lead to a new pandemic influenza virus.

The threat of new viruses is increasing, and pandemic potential is greatest for viruses spread by the respiratory route and which are severe enough to cause pneumonia. There is no indication that the current situation in China is a new pandemic, but we should always identify and pay attention to undiagnosed pneumonia clusters. Early warning systems give us the best chance of preventing the next pandemic.The Conversation

C Raina MacIntyre, Professor of Global Biosecurity, NHMRC Principal Research Fellow, Head, Biosecurity Program, Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney; Ashley Quigley, Senior Research Associate, Global Biosecurity, UNSW Sydney; Haley Stone, PhD Candidate, Biosecurity Program, Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, and Rebecca Dawson, Research Associate, The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article (https://theconversation.com/how-worried-should-we-be-about-the-pneumonia-outbreak-in-china-218514).

Total
0
Shares
Share
Tweet
Share
Share
Related Topics
  • China
  • COVID-19
  • Mycoplasma bovis
  • Pneumonia
  • RSV
  • World Health Organization
dotlah.com

Previous Article
  • People
  • Technology

Why Student Experiments With Generative AI Matter For Our Collective Learning

  • November 30, 2023
View Post
Next Article
Flooding. Philippines
  • Cities
  • Climate Change

Don’t Applaud The Climate Summit’s Loss And Damage Fund Deal Just Yet – It Might Not Warrant That Standing Ovation

  • December 9, 2023
View Post
You May Also Like
View Post
  • Cities
  • Technology

Meralco PowerGen’s PacificLight starts up 100 MW fast-response plant in Singapore

  • dotlah.com
  • June 20, 2025
View Post
  • People
  • Politics

Singapore PM Wong arrives in Malacañang

  • dotlah.com
  • June 4, 2025
View Post
  • Cities

Renewable energy, carbon credits are priority areas of cooperation for Singapore, Philippines: Lawrence Wong

  • dotlah.com
  • June 4, 2025
View Post
  • Cities
  • Politics

Singapore businesses eye more investments in PH, says PM Wong

  • Dean Marc
  • June 4, 2025
View Post
  • Featured
  • Features
  • People

Conclave: How A New Pope Is Chosen

  • Dean Marc
  • April 25, 2025
View Post
  • Cities
  • Research

Mathematicians uncover the logic behind how people walk in crowds

  • dotlah.com
  • April 3, 2025
“Toyota Woven City,” a Test Course for Mobility, Completes Phase 1 Construction and Prepares for Launch
View Post
  • Cities
  • Technology

“Toyota Woven City,” a Test Course for Mobility, Completes Phase 1 Construction and Prepares for Launch

  • John Francis
  • January 6, 2025
View Post
  • People

PM Wong takes Scoot flight, fellow passengers cheer

  • dotlah.com
  • October 16, 2024


Trending
  • 1
    • Cities
    • Lah!
    IMDA Collaborates With Industry To Help Singaporeans Continue To Enjoy A High Quality Of Life From Home With Digital Tech Amid COVID-19
    • March 26, 2020
  • tarot cards 2
    • People
    How To Ensure Your Phone Psychic Is Real And Not Just Another Scammer
    • November 10, 2020
  • 3
    • Lah!
    OCBC Bank And Staff Donate Additional S$1,225,000 To Provide Targeted Support To 1,000 Needy Singaporean Families And 55,800 Migrant Workers
    • May 2, 2020
  • dotlah-singapore-airlines_may_21-1716298816 4
    • Lah!
    Severe turbulence during Singapore Airlines flight leaves several people badly injured. One man died
    • May 22, 2024
  • 5
    • Lah!
    Singapore’s PayNow And Malaysia’s DuitNow To Link In 2022
    • September 28, 2021
  • 6
    • Cities
    • Lah!
    Joint Ventures Between Allgreen Properties Ltd And Kerry Properties Ltd Secure S$861.75 Million Green Loan From DBS, Maybank And OCBC Bank
    • July 11, 2021
  • 7
    • Science
    • Technology
    Don’t Ban New Technologies – Experiment With Them Carefully
    • August 23, 2019
  • london-crowd-viktor-forgacs-6bMyJEvr-Cw-unsplash 8
    • Cities
    • Economy
    The World’s Next Megacities
    • January 20, 2023
  • 9
    • Cities
    The Impact Of COVID-19 On Future Mobility Solutions
    • May 16, 2020
  • 10
    • Society
    In Conjunction With Kindness Day SG, BT BAF Beneficiaries And Certis Continue To Give Back To The Community Despite The COVID-19 Circuit Breaker
    • May 27, 2020
  • 11
    • Lah!
    Maritime And Port Authority Of Singapore (MPA) To Strengthen Collaboration On Cyber Resilience And Response
    • October 16, 2019
  • 12
    • Lah!
    CapitaLand Sets Sights On APAC REIT Market With Proposed Merger Of CapitaLand Mall Trust And CapitaLand Commercial Trust
    • January 23, 2020
Trending
  • 1
    Meralco PowerGen’s PacificLight starts up 100 MW fast-response plant in Singapore
    • June 20, 2025
  • 2
    A Father’s Day Gift for Every Pop and Papa
    • June 14, 2025
  • 3
    Apple services deliver powerful features and intelligent updates to users this autumn
    • June 12, 2025
  • 4
    Apple supercharges its tools and technologies for developers to foster creativity, innovation, and design
    • June 11, 2025
  • 5
    It’s time to stop debating whether AI is genuinely intelligent and focus on making it work for society
    • June 8, 2025
  • 6
    PBBM asks Singapore to invest more in PH renewable energy projects
    • June 6, 2025
  • 7
    Singapore PM Wong arrives in Malacañang
    • June 4, 2025
  • 8
    Renewable energy, carbon credits are priority areas of cooperation for Singapore, Philippines: Lawrence Wong
    • June 4, 2025
  • 9
    Singapore businesses eye more investments in PH, says PM Wong
    • June 4, 2025
  • 10
    The Summer Adventures : Hiking and Nature Walks Essentials
    • June 3, 2025
Social Links
dotlah! dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
Connecting Dots Across Asia's Tech and Urban Landscape

Input your search keywords and press Enter.