Announcement Details
Announcement Message
A cluster of respiratory illness caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae was identified at Lakeshore Elementary School starting February 14th, 2020. Although the school is currently closed, the San Francisco Unified School District and the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) wanted you to be aware of this situation, in case you or your child come down with symptoms consistent with this illness.
We are providing the following information to increase your awareness about this infection.
In general, illness caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae is mild with symptoms that appear and get worse over a period of 1 to 4 weeks. These bacteria can cause several types of infections.
The most common type of illness, especially in children, is commonly known as a chest cold. Common symptoms of a chest cold include:
- Sore throat
- Fatigue (being tired)
- Fever
- Slowly worsening cough that can last for weeks or months
- Headache
Experts have estimated that up to 1 in 10 people who get ill from M. pneumoniae get pneumonia. Common symptoms of pneumonia include:
- Cough that may produce mucus
- Fever and chills
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Fatigue
Children younger than 5 years old often do not run a fever when they have an illness caused by M. pneumoniae. Instead, they may have signs that appear more like a cold than pneumonia. They sometimes wheeze, vomit, or have diarrhea. If you or your child have any of these symptoms, let your doctor or medical care provider know of this outbreak to assist in their evaluation.
Since school is out, we do not anticipate sending out any additional information. If you have any questions about this, discuss with your/your child’s doctor.