Question
My child is 38 months old and has been coughing for 4 months. The child has tested positive for Mycoplasma with a ratio of 1:80 and Chlamydia with a positive result. After taking Azithromycin for two weeks without improvement, we went to the hospital and were prescribed intravenous Erythromycin for two more weeks. Still no improvement. Later, it was said to be an allergy, so we took Sominex for a week, but it didn’t help. We then tested for allergens and found high sensitivity to egg whites and yolks, and mild sensitivity to milk. The Mycoplasma test also showed an increase to a ratio of 1:160. We are all extremely frustrated as the cough persists every morning with 5 to 6 coughs and it just won’t go away.
Answer
Mycoplasma pneumonia, also known as primary atypical pneumonia or cold agglutinin-positive pneumonia, is caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) and leads to interstitial pneumonia and bronchiolitis-like changes in the basic course. The clinical manifestation is a persistent and severe cough with pulmonary inflammation. MP is one of the important pathogens causing pneumonia and other respiratory infections in childhood. The treatment for pediatric MP pneumonia is similar to that for general pneumonia, adopting comprehensive evaluation and treatment measures, including general treatment, symptomatic treatment, the use of antibiotics, corticosteroids, and the treatment of extrapulmonary complications.