It's caused by Mycoplasma Pneumoniae, a bacterium that causes respiratory tract infections. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports test positivity for walking pneumonia increased in the late spring of 2024 and remained high. 

The term walking pneumonia wa coined because it's possible for someone to be walking around with the infection and not even know it. 

Keith Hanson, MD, the General Pediatrics Unit Medical Director at OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois, says every year some strains of illness, or a particular virus, are more common than others. 

Right now, it's pneumonia.

“What's a little unusual about this year, is we're seeing that same bacteria causing pneumonia in kids that are younger than usual, and the severity of the illness is more,” Dr. Hanson says. “We're seeing more kids admitted to the hospital with pneumonia, and they're definitely younger than that typical age range like preschoolers and even some infants.”

Dr. Hanson says as is the case with bacterial infections, there are antibiotics to treat walking pneumonia. 

The hope is to shorten the illness and make it less severe, while decreasing the chance of spreading the infection to others.

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It’s caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae), a bacterium that causes respiratory tract infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports test positivity for walking pneumonia increased in late spring of 2024 and remained high.

The term walking pneumonia was coined because it’s possible for someone to be walking around with the infection, and not even know it.

“They're walking around school and they're not feeling that sick. They do have pneumonia but it's not putting them in the hospital typically,” says Keith Hanson, MD, the medical director of the General Pediatrics Unit at OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois.

Dr. Hanson says every year some strains of illness, or a particular virus, are more common than others. Right now, it’s pneumonia.

"What's a little unusual about this year, is we're seeing that same bacteria causing pneumonia in kids that are younger than usual, and the severity of the illness is more. We're seeing more kids admitted to the hospital with pneumonia, and they're definitely younger than that typical age range like preschoolers and even some infants,” Dr. Hanson says.

Tracking cases nationally and across the region

The CDC is tracking the rise in cases, which have been seen both nationwide and locally in central Illinois.

Data from OSF HealthCare show a major increase in overall pneumonia cases for patients younger than 18 years of age this year over last, looking at the dates from August 1 through October 22.

In 2023, there were 171 patients with pneumonia and only three cases were reported to have come from the M. pneumoniae bacterium. In 2024, overall cases jumped to 641 with 143 having pneumonia due to M. pneumoniae. 81 of the cases in the 2024 range were reported from the hospital.

Signs and symptoms of walking pneumonia

"It's that cough, a prolonged cough especially, fevers and difficulty breathing in more severe cases," Dr. Hanson says. “They might be dehydrated and not able to drink as much, so they're not urinating as much. They can be sleepier and more fatigued, which is pretty common.”

Dr. Hanson says as is the case with bacterial infections, there are antibiotics to treat walking pneumonia. The hope of the antibiotics is to shorten the illness and make it less severe, while decreasing the chance of spreading the infection to others.

“This is one that would need antibiotics. Other respiratory infections like RSV or COVID-19 are viruses, where there's no particular medication to treat it," Dr. Hanson says. "So, if it is this Mycoplasma pneumonia, there is an antibiotic that can treat it. We want to make sure kids are staying hydrated and getting enough rest. You can do fever control with Tylenol and ibuprofen." 

While most pneumonia cases don’t send kids to the hospital, it is possible for children with other medical conditions to be hospitalized. If they are admitted, they may need IV fluids for dehydration or oxygen to help with breathing. This is another reason Dr. Hanson recommends starting antibiotics right away, because if pneumonia goes untreated, there’s a higher chance you could end up in the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU).

When pneumonia is connected to a viral infection

"We start thinking about bacterial infections after times that you're sick, you get better, then you get worse a few days later. That's because the virus was going on first, with a runny nose, low grade fever and some coughing. Then you feel better for a couple of days, and then it comes back. That's when we think there was a bacterial infection on top of the virus,” Dr. Hanson says. “That's because when we have the virus, we get mucus and secretions and we're not coughing things up very well. Things are settling there in the lungs and you're not very active. That increased inflammation and mucus is a setup for bacterial infections.”

Pneumonia prevention tips

-          If you’re sick, stay home

-          Make sure kids blow their nose

-          Cough or sneeze in your elbow

-          Wear a mask in the community if you’re sick. It could prevent respiratory droplets from spreading.

-          Wash your hands

-          Hydrate well

-          Focus on good sleep

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Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that can cause mild to severe illness in people of all ages. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), viruses, bacteria, and fungi can all cause pneumonia.

In the United States, common causes of viral pneumonia are:

• Influenza viruses
• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
• SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19)

“COVID is kind of a wild card," says BreAnne Gendron, an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), for OSF HealthCare. "It does create symptoms of shortness of breath. People can have fevers, it is a viral illness. It’s seven to 10 days where people will have a day where they start feeling better. If you have shortness of breath, no matter what your diagnosis is, you want to seek treatment. The concern with COVID isn’t so much pneumonia as blood clots in your lungs causing shortness of breath. We would want to make sure that you're safe in regards to that side of it.”

Most of the people affected by pneumonia in the United States are adults. CDC data shows more than 47,000 people died from pneumonia in 2020.

“Pneumonia is an infection that gets the travels through your lungs for one reason or another," says Gendron. "Whether you are prone to infection because your immune system is suppressed. Smokers are more prone to pneumonia, people with COPD or asthma or other lung conditions. If you work in a place where there's lots of people in one place, you're more likely to be sick and that can lead to pneumonia.”

Symptoms of pneumonia include high fever, fatigue, chills, cough, chest pain, shortness of breath and headache. Walking pneumonia is a nonmedical term which refers to a milder case of pneumonia.

“If you have a fever greater than 101, or if you are a person that has any of those high risk factors, you have COPD, you’re immune compromised, any of these things that would make you higher risk for pneumonia, and you should seek treatment," says Gendron.  "It’s better to be safe than sorry; it's easier to treat you when you're less ill than when you're struggling to breathe and we have to send you to the emergency room.”

Gendron says people who have pneumonia are prone to getting it again. Treatment options include antibiotics for bacterial pneumonia and rest and fluids are in order for viral pneumonia.

The CDC recommends children younger than age five and adults 65 and older get the pneumococcal vaccine, along with children and adults who are at a higher risk due to other health conditions.

“Your health care provider may recommend that you get the pneumonia vaccine younger than 65, but everybody over the age of 65 should have a pneumonia vaccine because that’s when people are at high risk for developing it," says Gendron. "As we age our immune systems are generally less effective than they were when we were young. So it’s good to get the vaccine after 65.”

Gendron offers other tips to help stay healthy this winter – avoid people who are sick, wash your hands often, quit smoking and manage conditions like diabetes, asthma and heart disease.

“When you’re wondering if it’s pneumonia or walking pneumonia, it doesn’t really matter which one it is," she adds. "You need to go by your symptoms and if you’re having high fevers, shortness of breath, you’re coughing so much you can’t sleep at night that you feel like you need help. You should be seen so that we can make sure you’re safe.”

For more information on pneumonia, visit OSF HealthCare.

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