Mumbai: ‘Do not ignore respiratory illness this winter’

Even as the Union health ministry has claimed the seven cases of Mycoplasma pneumonia or walking pneumonia reported at the AIIMS Delhi as not a cause for worry health experts recommend parents and elders to take precautions as respiratory infections are on the rise this winter The seven cases of walking pneumonia reported by AIIMS were during the period April to September this year Health experts also pointed out that the recent poor air quality in the city and MMR region unseasonal rains may trigger respiratory infections and advise the public to use masks and sanitisersDr Wiqar Shaikh professor of medicine Grant Medical College and Sir J J Group of Hospitals said that walking pneumonia is common worldwide and a surge in cases is seen every three to seven years Dr Shaikh added that the Union health ministry has said that the AIIMS cases are not linked to the recent surge of lung infections in ChinaWhat Is walking pneumoniaDr Shaikh said that it is a mild form of infection in the lungs which could be caused by bacteria such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae or by virus or even fungus Indeed the patient may feel well enough to walk around and carry out daily tasks without realizing that he or she has pneumonia Dr Shaikh clarified that walking pneumonia generally affects children and elderly people He said that the disease is seen most often during winterDr Fazal Nabi director of pediatrics Jaslok HospitalDr Shaikh explained that walking pneumonia could affect people who have a weakened immune system those living in crowded places those who have asthma and people who use tobacco products The common symptoms of walking pneumonia are sore throat low grade fever fatigue chills and cough He also added that an Xray of the chest and or a blood test would diagnose the infection Dr Shaikh warned that walking pneumonia is contagious and coughing sneezing or even talking could spread the disease He said that antibiotics are the mainstay of treatment Dr Shaikh clarified that there is no vaccine for walking pneumoniaPoor air quality pollutionldquoWalking pneumonia appearing in much larger numbers during this winter is real irrespective of whether its link with China is established or not Other important factors such as the poor high air quality index the fall in temperatures and unseasonal rain and overcrowding have an important role to play adversely impacting the full respiratory infections which start with common cold and cough and gradually the upper and lower respiratory tracts get infectedrdquo said Dr Subhash Hira professor of global health at University of Washington and a member of WHO consultative group for future pandemic preparationWorld in a quandaryDr Hira said ldquoIt is in the recent past that the world saw a global shutdown during COVID19 spikes The worst lsquoshutdownsrsquo for the longest periods happened in China and as a result it is still reeling from the economic slowdown Yet scientists and researchers are surprised that the fresh respiratory epidemic in Beijing and around is being handled by the Chinese government in such a casual manner Such aloof steps and slow sharing of lab and research information are putting the world into a quandary Most lessons of wearing masks and hand sanitisation have been lostrdquoAccording to Dr Ketan Vagholkar professor of surgery at DY Patil Medical College in severely immunocompromised patients it can cause serious pneumonia worsening of COPD encephalitis and occasionally haemolytic anaemia ldquoIt is advisable that the affected patient though moving around should be under the surveillance of the attending physician It is best prevented by wearing the mask meticulously and hand hygienerdquo said Dr VagholkarPaediatricians cautionDr Fazal Nabi director of paediatrics Jaslok Hospital said ldquoIt is true that this season I am coming across an increase in cases of walking pneumonia but other than a few cases which needed hospitalisation most of the children were treated on OPD basis But time taken for recovery depends on the time taken for diagnosing the reason behind the uncontrolled fever respiratory distress with pneumonia patches easily visible on the chest xray which indicates infection and pneumonitisrdquo ldquoWe have last week documented a case of an eightyearold from the suburbs who had to be admitted in Jaslok with a classic case of pneumonitis As the regular antibiotics were not working on her and that is when we decided to get the respiratory secretion tested and it was confirmed to be a case of Mycoplasma pneumonia The patient responded well when the line of treatment and antibiotics were changedrdquo said Dr NabiDonrsquot ignore symptomsDr Nabi has a word of caution for parents ldquoWith the rise in air pollution parents need to be vigilant and should not ignore basic signs of cold and cough which usually get cured within two to three days of medication but if a child continues to be in distress or symptoms persist it is better to consult the paediatric physician as early diagnosis will help in faster recovery of the childrdquoHighgrade infectionsDr Sagar Warankar consulting paediatric pulmonologist based in Navi Mumbai who visits various hospitals in Mumbai and MMR said ldquoOnan average I come across forty to fifty paediatric cases and unlike earlier where children complained of respiratory tract infections this season I see them coming with choked upper and lower respiratory tracts with fever indicating highgrade infectionsrdquoPrecautions Avoid crowded areas and large gatherings Always wear a mask when you move outside your home Be careful of people coughing and sneezing