Activated protein C for H1N1 influenza? More work to do!

Streptococcus pneumoniae–induced purpura fulminans in a woman with functional asplenia

Purpura fulminans is a rare complication of septic shock, often associated withStreptococcus pneumoniae. Patients with anatomic or functional asplenia are at increased risk for infection because of impairment of their ability to defend against encapsulated pathogens. We report the case of a previously healthy, unimmunized 33-year-old female with functional asplenia who presented in septic shock and purpura fulminans and died in spite of maximal resuscitative measures. The clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of purpura fulminans are reviewed. Purpura fulminans is a rare condition that requires early diagnosis and aggressive management by emergency physicians.

Report of the 'mechanisms of lung injury and immunomodulator interventions in influenza' workshop, 21 March 2010, Ventura, California, USA

Please cite this paper as: Howard et al. (2011) Report of the ‘Mechanisms of lung injury and immunomodulator interventions in influenza’ workshop, 21 March 2010, Ventura, California, USA*. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses 5(6), 453–e475.

The clinical course of influenza and the extent of lung injury are determined by both viral and host factors, as well as sometimes secondary bacterial infections and exacerbations of underlying conditions. The balance between viral replication and the host immune responses is central to disease pathogenesis, and the extent of lung injury in severe influenza infections may be due in part to overly exuberant or dysregulated innate inflammatory responses or sometimes deficient responses. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the principal cause of respiratory failure associated with severe influenza. ARDS can be triggered by both direct lung insults (e.g. respiratory pathogens) and systemic insults (e.g. sepsis), and the lung damage is exacerbated by the inflammatory response associated with either infectious or non‐infectious insults. This workshop aimed to review the current understanding of lung injury in acute influenza and describe cellular and molecular mechanisms of lung injury that are common to influenza and infections by other respiratory pathogens. In addition, therapeutic agents that target host response proteins and pathways were identified and investigational agents in development reviewed. A logical strategy would be to combine antiviral treatment with drugs that modify excessive host responses or supplement deficient ones. However, a better understanding of common cell signalling pathways associated with acute lung injury caused by influenza and other pathogens is necessary to understand immunopathologic causes of lung injury. This will help determine which immunomodulatory interventions might be useful, and to predict the appropriate timing and consequences of their use.