Shelby County pneumonia outbreak under investigation
Updated: Monday, 07 Nov 2011, 12:16 PM EST
Published : Monday, 07 Nov 2011, 11:42 AM EST
SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (WISH) - The Shelby County Health Department is working to determine the cause of an apparent outbreak of pneumonia in school-aged children.
According to a news release from the health department, at least 20 students have shown similar chest x-ray patterns and several have been admitted to the hospital for treatment.
The health department notes that the cases are spread out across the county meaning it is not associated with any one particular school.
The Indiana State Department of Health is providing kits to local physicians to help them test for Mycoplasma pneumoniae, the primary bacteria associated with walking pneumonia, in hopes of determining the specific cause of the Shelby County outbreak.
The onset of Mycoplasma pneumonia comes with the development of a cough, sore throat, headache, low grade fever, chills and muscle aches.
?Mycoplasma is transmitted via droplets usually transmitted by cough or other contact with saliva,? the health department?s release reads, ?One of the primary ways to contain the outbreak is to keep ill children home from school if they are sick. If your children have a cough and any of the symptoms above, please keep them home from school and seek evaluation from your primary care physician.?
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