Officials Identify Fatal 'Mystery Illness'

nbc5i.com ^ | August 21, 2002 | Staff Writer

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

IRVING, Texas -- State health officials Wednesday identified the illness that killed a 13-year-old Irving girl and left her 15-year-old brother in a coma.

According to officials, an illness known as "walking pneumonia" is responsible for killing Rachel Johnson (left) and sickening her brother, Mathew (right).

Officials also confirmed that the teens' three other siblings, who had been hospitalized as a precautionary measure, also have the illness and are being treated.

Officials said that the children's parents were not ill.

However, despite their findings, health officials said they don't know why both children had such sudden and severe reactions to the illness.

According to the family's pastor, Dr. Steve Nutter, officials are looking into other factors that may have contributed to the severity of teens' illness.

Meanwhile, the Health Department has lifted the quarantine it had previously placed on the family's house before the illness was identified.

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

Well.

OK then...

[basil]

It would be interesting to know which bacteria or virus caused the disease. Also, it's been years since I've heard of someone being quarantined. I thought the AIDS thing had done away with quarantining anybody.

[pops88]

Interesting. "Walking Pneumonia" was so named because people would continue to "walk around," go to work, etc., not realizing they had it. So how did this manage to kill one child and leave the other in a coma? Are they calling it "Walking Pneumonia" because it's a mycoplasma infection, or just an "atypical pneumonia?" This needs more of an explanation.

[another cricket]

"walking pneumonia"

Nasty. I had it once. I have never been so sick in my life. I would have had to have gotten better to die. But treatable unless it was some kind of Jim Henson super bug.

a.cricket

[Constitution Day]

I've had "walking pneumonia" before... they didn't quarantine me!

Sounds like someone in gubmint is overreacting just a bit. (what a surprise!)

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

I had always thought 'walking' and 'mycoplasma' were interchangable in describing one particular type of pneumonia.

I could be wrong I suppose?

Here is additional information on

Micoplasma Pneumonia

This page includes differential diagnosis as well.

[Mike Darancette]

If ya' got the walkin' Pneumonia ya need a shot of rhythm and blues.

[backtobasics]

I was under the impression that pnuemonia is infection in one lung and double pnuemonia is infection in both lungs while walking pnuemonia is infection that goes from first one lung and then the other.

I had pnuemonia in one lung and it really run me down physically. I continued to work with a low grade fever but when the coughing spells hit, it felt as if I would cough up my boots. It took a booster shot, horse pills, elixers and inhalers to knock it out but it was tough to get rid of.

[Constitution Day]

I believe you're correct.
I have had pneumonia in various forms about 6 times since I was a kid (I have asthma & resp. problems).
So, I should know all about the exact terms, but don't.

The last time I had it was about 4 years ago and it was the "walking" kind.
I got sick with a cold, which turned into bronchitis, which became pneumonia and did move to the other lung.

I also tried to stay at work but finally ended up getting so sick I was out for a week at home.
Like you, I had to endure pills, inhalers and not one but THREE different antibiotics before I shook it.
Wasn't pretty. Good think I don't smoke cigarettes.

[steamroller]

My son and daughter,now adults had mycoplasma pneumonia a few times while they were growing up.It was treated very effectively with erythromycin.A few years ago I had a an atypical double pneumonia-it was treated with biaxin and then erythromycin.I was only laid up about a week until the fever broke,but I felt like I had taken a beating for some time afterwards.An x-ray six weeks later was clean.Pneumonia is weird-it can sometimes take out a young healthy person in a flash.The best advice is-don't screw around if you think you have it.And if you're high-risk like me,or older then take a pneumovax shot.It won't stop mycoplasma or other viral pneumonias,but it prevents pneumococcal pneumonia,the usual killer type.I lost an uncle and a friend who both died of it while receiving chemo for cancer-the shot might have saved them.

[Pelham]

Henson died from an infection caused by the "flesh eating bacteria", Streptococcus pyogenes.

[2111USMC]

Same here.

I had it when I was in the military. It felt as if there was a two-ton weight on my chest.

Very difficult to breath. Couldn't stand at attention for more than 30 to 40 seconds without passing-out.

Miserable illness. I was sick for nearly a month. Completely bed-ridden for about ten days.

[2111USMC]

Same here.

I had it when I was in the military. It felt as if there was a two-ton weight on my chest.

Very difficult to breath. Couldn't stand at attention for more than 30 to 40 seconds without passing-out.

Miserable illness. I was sick for nearly a month. Completely bed-ridden for about ten days.

[2111USMC]

Sorry about the double-post!

[MinuteGal]

The article states that officials are looking into other factors that may have contributed to the severity of the kids' illness. Wonder if there's parental neglect, religion that discourages taking kids to the doctor, or any other things? There's more to this than meets the eye, IMO.

Leni

[3catsanadog]

Three years ago, I was hospitalized with pneumoniai in both lungs - doc said it was "full blown". I was filled with it and in the hospital for 7 days.

Pneumonia cough is the worst ever. It was like trying to cough up cement in my lungs.

I had started out with the flu and for 3 weeks just got sicker and sicker. By the time they admitted me to the hospital, I barely had enough strength to get to the bathroom or get something to eat.

[Vigilant1]

Microorganisms are constantly mutating to new forms. If this is a new and more virulent strain, that spells big trouble.

People don't take pnuemonia very seriously, yet it's the # 3 highest cause of death among the elderly. The 'walking pneumonia' is more insidious, as the infection becomes firmly established and damages lung tissues before the victim even knows they have it. It is most dangerous to those with compromised immune systems, which means AIDS patients, those on chemotherapy, those suffering other serious infections, people experiencing chronic allery problems, and as mentioned, the elderly.

If this is a new and more virulent strain, and it becomes an epidemic, it could reap quite a large death toll.

[another cricket]

Now why did I think it was Pneumonia that killed him?

A mind is a terrible thing to lose.

a.cricket

[Pelham]

Jim Henson had what first appeared to be a sore throat or an upper respiratory infection, and early reports of his death likely attributed it to pneumonia. I know I didn't see the 'flesh-eater' diagnosis reported until some time later.