Epidemic Respiratory Disease: The pneumonias and other infections of the repiratory tract accompanying influenza and measlesOpie, Eugene L. (Eugene Lindsay)
History
Epidemic Respiratory Disease: The pneumonias and other infections of the repiratory tract accompanying influenza and measles
A red zone of hemorrhage has occasionally been observed about the foci
of peribronchiolar pneumonia. A further stage in the same process is
represented by hemorrhage into all of the alveoli separating these
patches of consolidation. This hemorrhagic lesion, which will be
described in more detail later, has been found repeatedly in the same
lung with peribronchiolar pneumonia, being present in 8 among the 61
autopsies cited. Lobular bronchopneumonia accompanied the
peribronchiolar lesion 27 times and lobar pneumonia accompanied it 20
times.
When an abscess caused by hemolytic streptococcus is associated with
peribronchiolar pneumonia, empyema is present, but otherwise pleurisy is
absent or limited to a scant fibrinous exudate.
[Illustration:
Fig. 3.—Acute bronchopneumonia with peribronchiolar consolidation; a
respiratory bronchiole partially lined by columnar epithelium passes
into alveolar duct and the adjacent alveoli are filled by
polynuclear leucocytes. Autopsy 333.
]
Histologic examination demonstrates very clearly the relation of this
lesion to the bronchioles (Fig. 3). These passages are filled and
distended with an inflammatory exudate consisting almost entirely of
polynuclear leucocytes. The respiratory bronchioles are beset with
alveoli often limited to one side of the tubule and these alveoli are
filled with leucocytes. The alveolar ducts, distinguishable from the
bronchioles by the absence of columnar or cubical epithelium and by
possession of smooth muscle, are similarly filled with leucocytes; the
numerous alveoli which form the walls of the alveolar ducts are
distended by an inflammatory exudate. In sections which pass through an
alveolar duct and one or more of its infundibula, the further extension
of the lesion may be determined (Fig. 4). The infundibulum in proximity
with the alveolar duct contains polynuclear leucocytes and the same
cells are seen in the alveoli which here form its wall, but the
intensity of the inflammatory reaction diminishes toward the periphery,
so that the distal part of the infundibulum, which is much distended and
in consequence more readily definable than usual, is free from
inflammatory exudate.
[Illustration:
Fig. 4.—Acute bronchopneumonia with peribronchiolar consolidation; a
respiratory bronchiole is in continuity with an alveolar duct and
two distended infundibula; alveoli about bronchiole, alveolar duct
and proximal part of infundibula contain polynuclear leucocytes, the
distal part of the infundibula showing no evidence of inflammation.
Autopsy 333.
]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account