The pathology of influenzaWinternitz, M. C. (Milton C.)
Science
The pathology of influenza
Winternitz, M. C. (Milton C.)
Influenza
B. LESIONS OF THE BLOOD VESSELS AND ELSEWHERE IN THE BODY
Here, as in the discussion of the involvement of the lymphadenoid
tissue, the most outspoken changes are in the thorax. Frequently thrombi
are encountered in the vessels of the lung (34, 138). This does not
include the capillary thrombi associated with damage to the alveolar
walls already discussed. It has not been possible to demonstrate an
association between the hemorrhagic, infarct-like foci in the lung and
these vascular complications (47). The thrombi, histologically, are most
frequently propagated, but occasionally an indication of their etiology
is found in a destructive lesion of the vessel wall (19, 47, 50, 108,
156). This arteritis or phlebitis may be embedded either in a pneumonic
zone or in relatively normal lung. The vessel wall may be obscured by a
cellular infiltrate throughout its circumference or only at one point.
The cells, on account of karyorrhexis often difficult to identify, are,
partly at least, polymorphonuclear leucocytes, and the thrombus which
forms upon the inflammatory nucleus, as a rule, is fairly rich in these
cells (Fig. LII).
This vascular lesion may involve either artery or vein and may be found
either within the lung or at distant points. Not infrequently, pulmonary
embolus terminates influenza. One instance of this is incorporated in
the group of chronic influenzal cases detailed above (Fig. LIII). In
this instance, the thrombus originated in the right iliac veins; and,
although no attempt was made to demonstrate the primary vascular lesion,
so many similar cases are recorded (7, 82), and vascular damage is so
frequent in this disease, that the hypothesis attributing pulmonary
embolus to a thrombus initiated by a phlebitis is strongly supported.
Parenchymatous and skeletal lesions of hemorrhagic type, although
variable quantitatively, are frequent and involve the muscles, the
parenchymatous organs,—the adrenal especially,—and the mucosa of the
alimentary canal. They have been described already with regard to the
pleural surface and they may occur in other serous membranes.
[Illustration:
FIG. XXXII. AUTOPSY NO. 100. A HIGHER MAGNIFICATION OF THE LESION
ILLUSTRATED IN FIGURE XXXI. THE ALVEOLAR WALL IS ENTIRELY NECROTIC:
BACTERIA AND POLYMORPHONUCLEAR LEUCOCYTES ARE ABUNDANT.
]
[Illustration:
FIG. XXXIV. AUTOPSY NO. 87. CROSS SECTION THROUGH THE AREA OF GANGRENE
SHOWN IN FIGURE XXXIII.
]
[Illustration:
FIG. XXXV. AUTOPSY NO. 160. MICROSCOPIC DRAWING OF THE GANGRENOUS
CAVITY ILLUSTRATED IN FIGURES XXXIII AND XXXIV.
]
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