Brain abscess cases in children under 18 have increased to new heights after the easing of pandemic restrictions in the United States, a report has announced. pair of CDC report It was released earlier this year.
In December 2022, the number of infected people nationwide reached a peak of 102. Since then, the number of cases has declined again, but remains above the benchmark monthly maximum of 61 cases until March 2023.
These abscesses usually occur after a respiratory infection. Including new coronavirus infectionThe CDC said it emphasizes the importance of keeping children up to date on vaccinations.
Although brain abscesses are relatively rare despite this high incidence, they are also very dangerous. These are brain infections caused by: bacteria Or a fungus that usually enters the brain through the bloodstream from an infection in another part of the body, such as pneumonia, or through an infection in the head, such as in the ears, teeth, or sinuses.
These pus-filled pockets put pressure on surrounding brain tissue and can also cut off blood flow. Abscesses can cause damage to the brain and, in severe cases, can be fatal, so they must be treated fairly quickly with antibiotics and possibly surgery.
according to June report Based on hospitalization data, there was a baseline median of 34 brain abscesses per month from 2016 to 2019, according to a research team led by CDC epidemiologist Emma Accorsi. The baseline maximum number during this period was 61 cases per month.
Then, in March 2020, the global coronavirus pandemic hit the world, and countries around the world began wearing masks, using ventilators to limit aerosol transmission, and imposing local lockdowns. We have begun to introduce measures to curb the spread of infection. I was confined to my home to reduce person-to-person contact.
In the months that followed, many diseases decreased. For example, in the case of influenza, dropped dramaticallyas well as RSV (RSV)in the case of.It may also be caused by a brain abscess. streptococcus It was something else. This bacterium is commonly found in: RSV patient or influenza.
According to the CDC report, the number of monthly infections dropped significantly below the baseline starting in May 2020, and remained so until May 2021. But then the number of infections began to increase significantly compared to pre-pandemic numbers.
“Although we saw some variation across U.S. Census Bureau regions, the overall pattern was broadly similar: consistently low case counts after the onset of the pandemic, followed by a period of increase in mid-to-late 2021. ” followed by a major peak in the winter of 2022 – 2023.” Accorsi and her team explained:.
Cases of brain abscess in children are recognized as a serious complication of viral respiratory infections in children. After pandemic restrictions were eased in 2022, respiratory viruses increased around the world. In particular, the number of influenza and RSV infections has skyrocketed to an unprecedented level, leading to what is known as the “triple pandemic” along with COVID-19.
Christopher Gill, an infectious disease expert at Boston University, said the cause is a kind of rebound effect from low infection rates at the height of pandemic restrictions.
“Thanks to COVID-19 restrictions, the incidence and impact of RSV and influenza have decreased significantly over the past few years. This is a good thing, but it also means that people are It also meant that we had not developed much herd immunity against the virus.” He said this in December 2022.
“At the same time, infants were still being born and the susceptible population was growing. The result was like winding a watch spring too tightly, because now the rebound was higher than in previous years. Because it’s much more serious. It’s a bit of a simplification of a very complex process, but our best guess is that we’re now in the midst of a global viral rebound. ”
After hitting a record peak of 102 cases last December, more than three times the median baseline, cases of pediatric brain abscesses have begun to decline. However, the number of monthly infections remained above the baseline maximum of 61 until March 2023. Data beyond this point were not included in the report.
Although this report does not speculate on the cause of the increase in cases, a second report, also released in June, looked specifically at the number of cases in Nevada and provided a preliminary correlation. ing. Researchers led by Jessica Penny of the CDC suggested: There may be a link between the increase in brain abscess cases and the state’s lifting of the mask mandate in February 2022, the researchers said.
Although the number of cases will remain rare at its peak in December 2022, the CDC continues to monitor the phenomenon and suggests that doctors remain vigilant for signs of brain abscess in children with respiratory symptoms.
“CDC continues to track trends in pediatric intracranial infections.” Accorsi and his team said:“And we encourage everyone under the age of 18 to continue receiving recommended vaccinations, including influenza and COVID-19.”
There is currently no RSV vaccine available. People under 60 years old. However, you can better understand the symptoms of a brain abscess. On the Johns Hopkins Medicine website.
A previous version of this article was published in June 2023.
