[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!)

[Mike Darancette]

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

[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

[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.