Mycoplasma pneumoniae among Chinese Outpatient Children with Mild Respiratory Tract Infections during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic
Jiande Chen, Jing Zhang, Zhiwei Lu, Yu Chen, Songsong Huang, Hengtao Li, Shuzhu Lin, Jun Yu, Xueqi Zeng, Cuihong Ji, Yuejie Zheng, Dai Fangfang, Wei Dong, Huiting Xu, Weichao Chen, Xiaoqun Jin, Zhen Cui, Jing Qiao, Wei Qin, Hui Chen, Wei Jiang, Xiaoying Zhang, Jingrong Song, Jie Shao, Wen Su, Chao Wang, Fang Liu, Yuhua Zhao, Yingxue Zou, Run Guo, Lei Zhang, Jinhong Wu, Shuhua Yuan, Mingyu Tang, Yufen Wu, Jie Lin, Wenfang Dong, Xing Chen, Xinrong Sun, Yong Yin
Abstract
This is the first and largest prospective, multicenter, active, population-based surveillance study of the epidemiology of Mycoplasma pneumoniae among outpatient children with mild respiratory tract infections (RTIs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nationwide measures like strict face mask wearing and restrictions on population movement implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19 might also effectively prevent the spread of M. pneumoniae. The prevalence of M. pneumoniae and the proportion of drug-resistant M. pneumoniae isolates in outpatient children with mild RTIs were at low levels in the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic but may have rebounded recently. The colloidal gold assay for M. pneumoniae IgM may be not appropriate for screening and diagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection. Macrolides should be used with caution among outpatients with mild RTIs.