White Lung Syndrome: A new pandemic is being speculated after COVID-19 after the outbreak of a respiratory illness in northern China and Ohio in the US and people are calling it the White Lung Syndrome. It was being believed that it is a new infection or pathogen but it is not.
Chinese authorities are attributing the respiratory disease to the circulation of various pathogens, viruses and bacteria like mycoplasma pneumoniae. Health authorities in Ohio link the increasing cases of childhood pneumonia to familiar pathogens, dismissing any association with pneumonia clusters found in China and parts of Europe.
According to an Indian Express report, Dr GC Khilnani, Chairman of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine at PSRI Hospital, New Delhi, stated the “White Lung Syndrome” is a familiar symptomatic expression associated with either viral or bacterial infections, emphasizing that the current portrayal does not signal anything alarming.
What is White Lung Syndrome?
The typical appearance of the X-ray or CT scans of the lungs is black which indicates that there is air in lungs. However, if there’s inflammation or fluid accumulation, leading to restricted air sacs, the lungs may exhibit white areas, possibly due to a bacterial or viral infection.
While not a recent occurrence, the term “White Lung Syndrome” has gained prominence due to China’s mycoplasma pneumoniae outbreak, a bacterial infection showcasing as white patches in lung scans. However, this term lacks scientific categorization. Lung X-rays can display white patches during various flu battles, indicating a broader association beyond this specific condition.
White Lung Syndrome: How did this terminology come into existence?
Officials in Ohio’s Warren County reported a total of 145 cases of pneumonia among children aged three to 14 on Thursday. These pediatric pneumonia cases have been labeled as the “White Lung Syndrome.”
What are signs and symptoms of White Lung Syndrome?
Patients experiencing symptoms such as cough, fever, runny nose, sinus congestion with phlegm accumulation, breathing difficulties, and fatigue are being treated with nebulization and medication to address these issues.
Are children at risk amid the pneumonia outbreak in China and Ohio, US?
Post-COVID-19, each new outbreak tends to induce panic, yet currently, there’s no cause for alarm. Mycoplasma pneumonia isn’t a recent infection, but the outbreak in China reveals its widespread presence in communities. There’s no need for panic as antibiotics are accessible for treatment.
Moreover, prolonged COVID lockdowns, social distancing, and stay-at-home practices have indeed influenced children’s immune systems. This has made them more vulnerable to seasonal infections as regular social interactions have resumed everywhere.
