[Influenza: a current medical problem]

Acute respiratory infections are the most common infections in the human population. Among them, virus infections, especially those caused by influenza viruses, have an important place.

Type A influeza virus caused three epidemics during the last century. A high percetage of deceased in pandemics of 1918, and 1919 were young, healthy persons, with many of the deaths due to an unusually severe, hemorrhagic pneumonia. At the end of 2003, and the beginning of 2004, an epidemic emerged in South East Asia of poultry influenza caused by animal (avian) virus. Later it spread to the human populaton, with a high death rate of 73% and with a possibility of interhuman transmission. This review article provides an overview of the clinical manifestations, laboratory findings and chest radiographs. Apart from the symptomatic and supportive therapy, there are antiviral drugs and corticosteriods.

The use of vaccine containing subtypes of virus hemagglutinins and neuraminidase from an influenza virus currently infecting the population has a great importance.