Clinical epidemiological characteristics of pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae at Hai Phong International Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital in 2024

Abstract

Objectives: The objective was to describe the clinical and epidemiological features of pediatric pneumonia due to M. pneumoniae in the Respiratory Department at Hai Phong International Obstetrics and Paediatrics Hospital. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed medical records of 192 children aged 2 months to under 15 years, hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia and PCR-confirmed M. pneumoniae infection from July to December 2024. Results: The mean age was 43.57 ± 29.54 months. The majority of cases (highest incidence) were in children aged 1 month to under 3 years. Most patients (69.8%) experienced symptoms for 7 days prior to admission, with an average duration of illness of 8.2 ± 8.5 days. Nearly all children presented with productive cough, and moderate to high fever was common. Wheezing was frequently noted, while extrapulmonary symptoms were rare. Age-appropriate tachypnea was observed in 93.8% of cases. Pulmonary rales were a prominent clinical finding. Chest indrawing was seen in only 4.2% of cases, and pleural effusion occurred in just one patient. Conclusion: These findings underscore the typical respiratory presentation of M. pneumoniae pneumonia in children in Haiphong city, with relatively mild extrapulmonary involvement.