Question

My one-year-old child has been coughing for almost a month now, and the medication has not been very effective. They also have bronchitis now. They have taken many medications, including cough syrup and expectorants, and an X-ray shows bronchitis. The doctor said to check for mycoplasma and chlamydia if the medication doesn’t work. I’m not sure what to do.

Answer

Mycoplasma infection refers to the infection caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, a pathogen that is neither a virus nor a bacterium and lacks a cell wall, making it resistant to penicillin and cephalosporin treatments but sensitive to macrolide antibiotics. Mycoplasma infections can cause pneumonia, bronchitis, upper respiratory infections, and may also lead to hemolysis or encephalitis through the autoimmune mechanism. I suggest temporarily taking ketotifen, cough quick relief, loquat clearing lung medicine, etc. If diagnosed with mycoplasma infection, azithromycin is more effective.