The pathology of influenzaWinternitz, M. C. (Milton C.)
Science
The pathology of influenza
Winternitz, M. C. (Milton C.)
Influenza
In all the fatal cases of influenza which came to autopsy, and this has
been the experience of others, the respiratory lesions, as indicated
above, occupy the foreground. Indeed, compared with other types of
respiratory disease, the lung involvement is so great that expression of
the disease need not be sought elsewhere to explain the cause of death.
However, there are general systemic changes which, even though
quantitatively inconstant, are sufficiently common and widespread to
support the view that the disease is a systemic one. The lesions of the
hematopoietic organs and those of the vascular system are the most
important and will now be taken up.
A. LESIONS OF THE HEMATOPOIETIC SYSTEM
There is ample evidence that both the lymphadenoid and myeloid tissues
of the body are affected. The lymph glands at the hilum of the lung
naturally are involved with the extensive pulmonary changes. Also, a
similar change may be found in distant nodes, perhaps associated with
drainage from focal lesions or perhaps brought about by general
intoxication.
The myeloid involvement is unassociated with focal lesions and finds its
early expression in the equation of the white blood cells of the
peripheral blood. The two groups of changes, those involving the
lymphadenoid and those of the myeloid structures, should be discussed
separately.
_Lymphadenoid Tissues._
By far the most extensive lesions are encountered in the lymph glands of
the lung and its hilum, and from here the mediastinal and deep nodes
along the trachea are affected to a greater or lesser extent. The glands
are very large and succulent (2, 157, 162, etc.). Very frequently,
indeed, they are hemorrhagic on cross section (34, 108) (Fig. XXXVII),
and there exudes a sanguinous fluid, usually thin and syrupy in
character. The cut surface projects slightly, and the edge of the gland
everts. The architecture is often obscured by hemorrhage—a diffuse red
color—but very frequently near the periphery, translucent or more
opaque, yellowish points are visible. Rarely, larger, opaque, yellow
foci are found in the gland; these may be softened and purulent in
exceptional cases (2, 47, 157).
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