In a recent study published in the journal Eurosurveillance , researchers investigated the unusual rise in emergency department (ED) visits for pneumonia among children aged 5–14 years in England since November 2023. Their findings indicate that this increase, which persisted into early summer 2024, was primarily driven by the bacteria Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP), even as other seasonal respiratory infections decreased. Rapid communication: Persistent elevation in incidence of pneumonia in children in England, 2023/24 .
Image Credit: Kateryna Kon / Shutterstock Background Respiratory infections during the winter often burden healthcare services in the UK. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) manages a surveillance program that tracks and reports respiratory illnesses yearly to help understand and manage their impact. Recently, an unusual rise in pneumonia cases among children between the ages of 5 and 14 was detected through the program, leading to an investigation to understand what was causing this unexpected increase.
About the study The UKHSA's program monitors respiratory infections through various systems, including lab reports, general practice data, and real-time tracking of ED visits. The surveillance program includes data from primary care physicians, laboratory reports, hospital admissions, ED attendance, and telehealth calls, monitoring a range of respiratory indicators from the milder common colds, which are self-limiting, to more severe illnesses like pneumoni.