In the wake of the ‘white lung’ pneumonia outbreak affecting millions of children in northern China over the past six months, doctors are exploring a potential connection to antibiotic-resistant ‘superbugs.’
The surge in lung infections, which followed stringent lockdowns, prompted concerns about a new pathogen, but tests have revealed an increase in mycoplasma pneumoniae infections, a bacteria associated with pneumonia, potentially linked to antibiotic resistance.
Recent data from the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Microbiology indicates that 90 percent of mycoplasma pneumoniae infections in China are resistant to common antibiotics.
In comparison, resistance rates in the US and Europe range from 10 to 15 percent. Antibiotic overuse contributes to the development of resistance, as bacteria can mutate or acquire genes that make them impervious to the drugs.
Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections are typically treated with the antibiotic azithromycin. However, overprescription of this drug has led to resistance, leaving doctors with limited alternatives.
Patients who do not respond to azithromycin may require other antibiotics, raising concerns about potential side effects like teeth discoloration and bone abnormalities.
The outbreak earned the name ‘white lung’ due to X-ray images revealing white patches on the lungs of affected children. These patches indicate areas of denser lung tissue, often a result of the body’s response to bacterial infections like mycoplasma pneumoniae.
Dr. Yin Yudong, an infectious disease specialist at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, highlighted the urgent need to address antibiotic drug resistance in China, emphasizing the risk of running out of effective treatments for children.
Azithromycin, available in the US and commonly prescribed in China even for minor ailments or colds caused by viruses, has contributed to the issue.
In China, patients, including children, often receive antibiotics via intravenous drips, a practice less common in other countries.
The overcrowding in major Chinese hospitals has reached critical levels, with parents waiting up to seven hours for assistance, and some asked to bring hooks from home to hang infusion bags in hallways.
Despite these challenges, officials in China claim to be observing a “fluctuating downward trend” in infections and hospitalizations nationwide.
