THE PULMONARY COMPLICATIONS OF INFLUENZA AS SEEN IN SHEFFIELD IN 1949

Abstract

1. A study of the clinical manifestations of influenza virus infection, as seen in a group of hospital patients, is reported. 2. The clinical syndromes observed were (1) bronchitis, which was occasionally more severe than that observed in any non-influenzal cases; (2) pneumonia, which ranged from mild to severe, and in which pathogenic bacteria played a large part; (3) exacerbations of chronic chest and heart disease, which in old people often proved fatal. 3. As a result of attempts to distinguish influenzal from non-influenzal cases it was concluded (1) that there was only a slightly greater incidence of ‘influenzal’ symptoms in cases in which influenza virus played a part; (2) that cases of influenzal pneumonia, taken as group, were more severe than those of non-influenzal pneumonia, but in individual patients a clinical distination could not be made except in cases of fulminating Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia.