An upward trend, which continues in France. While questions hover over a major pneumonia epidemic in China, the bacteria mycoplasma pneumoniae, causing respiratory infections, has also been circulating more “since the beginning of autumn” in France, according to a first report from Public Health France (SPF) published this Thursday, November 30. The agency notably identifies “a higher number of cases than in 2019 and 2022 at the same period, reflecting an epidemic situation”.
The vast majority of infections are mild and resolve spontaneously, but some cases may require hospitalization. Infections occur throughout the year but may be more frequent in summer and fall, while epidemic peaks are observed cyclically every 3 to 7 years.
Although there is no specific surveillance system, the investigations carried out are “in favor of an increase in cases of respiratory infections due to mycoplasma pneumoniae since the end of summer, more marked since October 2023″, explains Public Health France.
Increase in visits to emergency rooms
Among the signals confirming this observation, it was noted in particular an increase in visits to emergency rooms for pneumonia since the beginning of October, “more markedly from the beginning of November, particularly among 6-15 year olds as well as among 16-49 year olds. years”, with levels “in these age classes much higher than those of 2019 and 2022”.
In addition, in hospital laboratories, the number of detections of mycoplasma pneumoniae by PCR test, all ages combined, “increased markedly from October 2023, until reaching levels significantly higher than those of 2019”, notes Public Health France. For its part, SOS Médecins explains that the evolution is “comparable to that observed in emergencies, with a more marked increase among those under 15 and 15-44 years old”, according to this report.
In its report, Public Health France seeks to provide the first elements of an explanation for this increase in the circulation of this mycoplasma pneumoniae. It could in particular be “related to the lifting of control measures put in place during the pandemic, such as […] for other germs”, judged the health agency, pointing to a very low circulation of this bacteria during the pandemic in view of hospital microbiological data. Across France, several French regions and some overseas (Reunion Island, French Guiana ) reported consistent observations.
An “unusual resurgence”
Interrogates on Franceinfo this Wednesday, the Minister of Health Aurélien Rousseau wanted to reassure, explaining that it was a bacteria that we “know well” and which “responds very well to specific antibiotics”, in particular amoxicillin , which we had “on the territory”. A detail which is not one, whereas last winter, France experienced significant shortages of certain medicines, and in particular antibiotics.
An urgent message on this “unusual upsurge” of respiratory infections of bacterial origin, its diagnosis and management, was nevertheless sent this Wednesday to health professionals by the Director General of Health. France is not the only country affected: “several other European countries have also recently reported increases in infections with mycoplasma pneumoniae (example: Sweden, Netherlands, Norway, Ireland)”, finally notes Public Health France.