The state epidemiologist: “Some need intensive care” • School may be forced to close • No cause for concern
Mycoplasma is not subject to notification, which means that there are no exact statistics on how many have been affected. The vast majority of people who carry the bacteria are also never tested for the disease because they only get mildly ill and do not seek treatment. All in all, it will therefore be difficult to map the ongoing spread of mycoplasma in Sweden.
The statistics for the disease that exist are based on lab reports, i.e. how many positive samples are available in the laboratory.
– There we can see that we have an unusually high number of positive samples. If you look at the statistics of how many people have needed medical care, even if that data is lagging, it is a lot in relation to how it looked before the pandemic. During the pandemic, we had extremely few cases, says state epidemiologist Magnus Gisslén.
Intensive care may be required
In the worst case, a mycoplasma infection can lead to pneumonia, and you may need to be treated for your symptoms.
– We know that there are cases that are so seriously ill and that they need intensive care, but I don’t yet have an exact track of how many there are, says Magnus Gisslén.
The reason why the spread of infection at the moment is so great has to do with the fact that there were very few cases during the pandemic. When people stayed at home, they did not get infected with infectious diseases to the same extent, and the immunity of the population decreased.
– Normally, mycoplasma peaks every four to five years. When one is infected, a certain immunity develops which lasts for a while. But when immunity wanes, more people become susceptible and then the number of cases increases again.
Particularly affected is the Anders-Olof school in Hammarstrand in Jämtland, which for the past five weeks has had large losses of students and teachers. The school’s safety representative has told us that there may be a question of a protective stop if the spread does not decrease.
– There are probably many who are away from school because of mycoplasma, but there could be other reasons. Everyone who is absent does not have to have mycoplasma, although it is likely that many do, says Magnus Gisslén.
No cause for concern
But despite a seemingly avalanche-like spread, and that the disease can lead to a stay in hospital, Magnus Gisslén believes that the public need not be particularly worried about the bacteria.
– Mycoplasma is a well-known disease that has always existed and that healthcare is well aware of how to take care of – the vast majority only get mildly ill. Sure, there seems to be a lot of mycoplasma right now and a few people can get seriously ill. But it’s not a disease you need to worry about.
In the case of the Anders-Olof school in Hammarstrand, it is difficult to know how the spread will develop in the future. It will decrease, says Magnus Gisslén, but the only question is when?
– It is difficult to know exactly how extensive the spread is, but outbreaks can last a long time. The incubation period is long, 2-3 weeks, which means that new cases can continue to appear. Eventually, the eruption will subside, but when it will happen is hard to say.
Facts: Mycoplasma
The infection is transmitted as airborne droplet infection.
Greater spread in society occurs approximately every four years.
The incubation period is two to three weeks.
Common symptoms are hoarseness, fever and dry cough.
Approximately one in ten infected people develop pneumonia.
Anyone who gets mycoplasma develops a limited immunity, but you can become infected several times during your life.
There is no vaccine against mycoplasma.
Source: Public Health Agency