MILWAUKEE COUNTY, Wis. — Cases of walking pneumonia spike every three to seven years and health officials in Wisconsin have noticed an increase of cases.
“In Wisconsin, it began to increase late August, early September, kind of corresponding with the start of the school year,” said Dr. Anna Corey, an infectious disease doctor at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Corey said walking pneumonia is similar to regular pneumonia, with milder symptoms.
“It’s a bacteria that can cause just a chest cold or respiratory symptoms,” Corey said. “It can also cause a pneumonia or an infection in the lungs. Although, it tends to be less severe than other types of bacterial pneumonia, so people aren’t typically hospitalized or staying in bed.”
Dr. Robert Kitsis is a family medicine doctor with Ascension Wisconsin. He said he’s noticed more patients coming in with walking pneumonia.
Kitsis said symptoms include a dry cough, low grade fever, sore throat and cold-like symptoms.
“If you are sick, wearing a mask to prevent spread,” Kitsis said. “If you’re around other people, wearing a mask [is important]. Getting lots of sleep, good rest and [maintaining a] heathy diet [are also important].”
While walking pneumonia is contagious and can impact anyone, he said it can spread particularly quickly among children.
“Pneumonia is transmitting through respiratory droplets,” Kitsis said. “So coughing on each other, sneezing, not washing your hands and eating. I don’t think kids are great at washing their hands or sanitizing.”
Becky Rowland is the health officer at the North Shore Health Department. Rowland said it’s important to stay home if you or your child are feeling ill, to avoid spreading the infection.
Her son recently just got over walking pneumonia.
“We kept our kid home,” Rowland said. “Then he felt a little better; we sent him back. Then his cough got worse… We did the virtual visit first on a Monday; then we really went to the doctor and had a chest X-ray on Friday. He had five days of antibiotics and he’s doing better. We want to keep kids home. That was a mistake on our part. We didn’t know. He had no fever for 24 hours and then it popped back up. Know better. Do better.”
Corey said while there’s no vaccine for walking pneumonia, it typically will go away on its own, but there’s an antibiotic for more severe cases.
“If you have a more moderate-to-severe case or if you’re in any type of group that has a weakened immune system or lung disease, then you would want to be prescribed an antibiotic for it,” Corey said.