Autumn and winter are the high incidence seasons for respiratory infectious diseases. Recently, respiratory infectious diseases such as Mycoplasma pneumonia in children have increased. How to scientifically prevent and treat respiratory infectious diseases? Recently, reporters interviewed Xu Baoping, Director of the Respiratory Department of Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, and Qi Wensheng, Director of the Emergency Department of Guang'anmen Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Xu Baoping said that the peak of respiratory infectious diseases in children this year has been earlier than in previous years. In addition to Mycoplasma infection, the number of infections with influenza viruses, adenoviruses, rhinoviruses, and other viruses has also increased. Among them, the number of Mycoplasma positive patients accounts for about 20% of fever and cough clinics. This is mainly related to a decrease in individual immunity. Will mycoplasma pneumonia cause "white lung"? Xu Baoping believes that some patients with mycoplasma pneumonia have a white spot on their lung imaging, mostly caused by an infection in one lung lobe or segment, which is different from the concept of "white lung" in medicine. Generally speaking, "white lung" refers to diffuse lesions in both lungs, mainly occurring during severe infections, with symptoms and severity different from those of mycoplasma pneumonia. What are the symptoms of Mycoplasma infection or pneumonia? What are the therapeutic drugs available? Xu Baoping said that there are two main symptoms of mycoplasma pneumonia: fever and cough. Among them, the initial onset of cough is paroxysmal dry cough, and there may be expectoration during the progression. Some people may experience symptoms such as chest pain, sore throat, and headache, while a few may experience symptoms such as cyanosis and difficulty breathing. They should seek medical attention in a timely manner. At present, the main first-line treatment drugs are macrolide antibiotics, commonly used including azithromycin, erythromycin, clarithromycin, etc. Antibiotic drugs belong to prescription drugs and need to be administered under the guidance of a doctor. In clinical practice, some children experience drug resistance and the treatment effect is not very good. Research has shown that there is not much difference between drug resistant and non drug resistant individuals in the treatment of Mycoplasma infection or pneumonia. The main difference is that the fever relief time of drug resistant patients is delayed and the disease course is longer, but the proportion of severe cases does not differ significantly. How to prevent respiratory infectious diseases? Xu Baoping said that the main goal is to stay away from pathogens and minimize visits to densely populated enclosed areas. When necessary, masks can be worn. Pay attention to washing hands frequently, strengthen exercise, and enhance physical fitness. In addition, school-age children who suffer from Mycoplasma pneumonia should not go to school with the disease, but should pay attention to rest and improve their immunity. Qi Wensheng said that from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, in autumn, the climate is dry and pathogenic factors can easily invade the lung system, leading to respiratory diseases, mainly manifested as symptoms such as dry mouth, sore throat, and cough. Traditional Chinese medicine collectively refers to autumn dryness disease. Autumn dryness disease is mainly divided into two categories, namely warm dryness and cool dryness, which require dialectical treatment. The main treatment for warm and dry diseases is to clear heat and moisten dryness; The main treatment for cool and dry diseases is to warm, disperse, and moisten dryness. What are the effective remedies in traditional Chinese medicine for respiratory diseases in autumn? Qi Wensheng said that if respiratory diseases occur, such as dry cough and fever, one should seek medical attention in a timely manner and take some traditional Chinese medicine. If throat itching is the main symptom, prescriptions such as Sangju Yin can be used; If the main ingredient is dried throat, formulas such as mulberry leaf soup can be used; If you have symptoms of external cold, you can use formulas such as Xingsu Powder. Reporter: Bai Jianfeng (Xinhua News Agency)