Atypical pneumonia outbreak: Chinese Mycoplasma infection reaches Czech Republic

In recent weeks, a rapid increase in the number of Mycoplasma pneumoniae bacterial infection cases has been noted in many hospitals across China, children being disproportionately affected. The first cases of this atypical pneumonia have now also surfaced in Europe.

The disease, caused by the Mycoplasma pneumoniae bacterium, has emerged in France and the Netherlands, and has now reached the Czech Republic.

As reported by the Novinky portal, Jakub Dvořáček, the Czech Deputy Minister of Health, has stated that both the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are closely monitoring the situation. He stressed that, at present, there are no tangible signs of an increase in the number of cases or indications of an epidemic in Czech hospitals.

Pavel Dlouhý, the Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Masaryk Hospital in Usti nad Labem, emphasized that this bacterium has been circulating in Europe for years without causing any major epidemic.

Commenting on the local situation, Dlouhý mentioned that the reports from China are concerning, but without media reporting, the public might not even be aware of this infection.

Microbiologist Pavel Dřevínek from Motol Hospital in Prague corroborated this, reporting that his facility received thirteen cases since September; he reassured however that there's no cause for alarm. Experts underscore that the Mycoplasma pneumoniae bacterium has been present in Europe for a lengthy period and has never resulted in a mass epidemic.