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
From the data presented in Table XIII it is evident that a mixed
infection existed in all cases. The results obtained by stained sputum
films and by direct culture on blood agar plates are of special
significance. B. influenzæ was present in all cases, being the
predominant organism in 6 cases, abundantly present in others, and few
in number in 2. Of other organisms the pneumococcus was most frequently
found, occurring in 11 of the 13 cases, in all but 2 instances being
present in considerable numbers. S. viridans was encountered twice, once
in association with a Gram-negative micrococcus resembling M.
catarrhalis culturally. S. hemolyticus was found once, together with M.
catarrhalis and a few pneumococci, Type IV, coming through in the mouse
only and of doubtful significance. The stained sputum films and direct
cultures always showed these organisms present in sufficient abundance
to indicate that they were present in the bronchial sputum and were not
merely contaminants from the buccal mucosa.
It seems quite probable from these results that purulent bronchitis
following influenza is, in most cases at least, due to mixed infection
of the bronchi and should be looked upon as a complication of influenza.
Whether the condition may be caused by infection with B. influenzæ alone
is difficult to say. No evidence that it may be caused by B. influenzæ
alone was obtained in the cases studied. It is not intended to enter
here into a discussion as to whether B. influenzæ should be regarded as
a secondary invader or not; the other organisms encountered certainly
are. It would seem most probable that purulent bronchitis is caused by
the mixed infection of B. influenzæ and various other organisms,
commonly the pneumococcus, but that the condition is initiated by the
invasion of the bronchi by these other organisms in the presence of a
preceding infection with B. influenzæ.
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