"Antimicrobial-Resistant Mycoplasma Pneumonia, High Risk of Outbreak in Western Pacific Including Korea"

Seongnam Seoul National University Hospital Pediatric Department Professor Kim Kyunghoon's Team
West Pacific Incidence Average 53.4%... Significantly High
"Preventive and Treatment Strategies Must Be Prepared in Advance"

Professor Kim Kyunghoon, Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] A study has found that the incidence of antimicrobial-resistant Mycoplasma pneumonia is highest in the Western Pacific (Asia-Pacific) region, including South Korea.

A research team led by Professor Kim Kyung-hoon from the Department of Pediatrics at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital conducted a meta-analysis investigating the proportion of antimicrobial-resistant Mycoplasma pneumonia based on a total of 27,408 samples studied over the past 20 years (2000?2019). On the 11th, they revealed that the risk is highest in the Western Pacific region.

Mycoplasma pneumonia, the most common bacterial pneumonia in children, occurs in cycles every 3 to 7 years and accounts for up to 40% of community-acquired pneumonia cases. It was generally effectively treated with the primary antimicrobial agent, macrolides, but since 2011, so-called 'antimicrobial-resistant Mycoplasma pneumonia,' which does not respond to macrolide treatment, has been gradually spreading.

Antimicrobial-resistant Mycoplasma pneumonia causes various pulmonary complications such as atelectasis (lung collapse), pleural effusion (fluid accumulation in the pleura causing breathlessness), and pneumothorax, as well as severe complications including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, meningitis, and myocarditis. These complications increase medical costs sharply, posing public health and social problems.

According to the study, the global proportion of antimicrobial-resistant Mycoplasma pneumonia among all Mycoplasma pneumonia cases steadily increased from 18.2% in 2000 to 41.0% in 2010 and 76.5% in 2019. In particular, regional analysis showed that the Western Pacific region had the highest rate, averaging 53.4%, which is significantly higher than Southeast Asia (9.8%) or the Americas (8.4%).

Within the Western Pacific region, antimicrobial resistance rates were highest in China, followed by Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, indicating that neighboring countries including South Korea require special attention. The research team also identified that this phenomenon is most closely associated with a mutation called 'A2063G' and that it is more common in children than in adults.

Professor Kim stated, “For over a decade, antimicrobial-resistant Mycoplasma pneumonia has been increasing globally, especially prominently in the Asia-Pacific region,” adding, “Learning from the COVID-19 infectious disease crisis, it is necessary to prepare prevention and treatment strategies in advance.”

This study was published in 'JAMA Network Open,' a prestigious international journal issued by the American Medical Association.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.