DISEASE SEVERITY IN PATIENTS WITH SIMULTANEOUS INFLUENZA AND BACTERIAL PNEUMONIA

This study was designed to determine the differences in the clinical features of bacterial pneumonia patients between patients co-infected with influenza virus or not co-infected. 15 adult patients with bacterial pneumonia who tested positive for influenza virus antigen were compared with those with 28 bacterial pneumonia patients alone. Complications with chronic lung diseases were more frequently found in bacterial pneumonia patients with influenza virus infection, compared with those who had bacterial pneumonia alone. In this study significant differences were found in body temperature, and heart rates between the two groups. CRP levels, chest X-ray infiltrates and the severity of pneumonia were also significantly worse in patients of bacterial pneumonia infected with influenza virus, than in those who had bacterial pneumonia alone. This study concluded that the severity of pneumonia in patients co-infected with influenza virus and bacteria was significantly higher than in those infected with bacteria alone. And the data obtained suggests that influenza virus infection enhanced the bacterial pneumonia.

Educational article provided by Solvay Pharmaceuticals.