The study authors say the findings suggest healthcare workers could be "unrecognized reservoirs" of pneumococcus in the population.
A study in Denmark shows that kids who have a lot of common infections early in life have a higher risk of moderate to severe infections and antibiotic use throughout childhood.
Differences were driven by improved response rates for patients with pneumonia who were treated with ceftolozane–tazobactam.
In its weekly respiratory illness snapshot, the CDC upgraded the level from low to moderate.
With flu and COVID levels still low but expected to rise, the CDC said vaccination is a good way to cut risk over the holiday season.
As flu test positivity crept upward, emergency department visits increased slightly among children and adolescents.
But differences in treatment failure were small compared with kids who received antibiotics, and severe outcomes were rare regardless of antibiotic treatment.
The study authors say knowledge about antibiotic-related harms will help patients, providers, and antibiotic stewardship programs.
The CDC said the rise in M pneumoniae in children ages 2 to 4 is notable, because it isn't typically known as a leading cause of pneumonia in the age-group.
The study will investigate whether a strategy known as safety-net antibiotic prescription reduces antibiotic use without worsening clinical outcomes.
