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
Examination of the lungs of a large number of individuals who have died
as the result of pneumonia following influenza has disclosed a
succession of acute and chronic diseases. Immediately succeeding the
height of the epidemic of influenza, death occurred with acute lobar
pneumonia or with diffusely distributed hemorrhagic bronchopneumonia
caused in the majority of instances by Pneumococcus IV in association
with B. influenzæ. Superimposed infection with hemolytic streptococci
increased in frequency and in individuals who had occupied certain wards
was almost invariable. At a later period, from one to two months
following the maximum incidence of influenza chronic lesions, namely,
bronchiectasis, unresolved pneumonia, and chronic empyema were common
and often occurred as the result of influenza which had had its onset at
the height of the epidemic.
When influenza attacked the encampment, about 50,000 troops were
quartered in it, and for a considerable period no more troops were
brought into the camp and none left it. All cases of pneumonia occurring
among these troops were brought to the base hospital so that the
autopsies which were studied were representative of all the pneumonias
following influenza in this limited group of men. It is noteworthy that
autopsy disclosed no instance of fatal influenza unaccompanied by
pneumonia.
=Pneumonia of Influenza.=—Knowledge concerning the bacteriology of the
pneumonia of influenza dates from the study of the epidemic of 1889–90.
The frequency with which Diplococcus lanceolatus occurred in association
with influenzal pneumonia was well recognized, although several
observers, notably Finkler[57] and Ribbert,[58] found Streptococcus
pyogenes so often that they attributed the pneumonia of influenza to
this microorganism.
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