[Effect of viral respiratory infections on the development and course of bacterial sepsis]

Sepsis was diagnosed in 9.5%-14.1% of fatalities in children. It was more frequently umbilical and caused by staphylococci, although of late mixed bacterial microflora was not infrequently detected. In 39 observations studied in detail sepsis was combined with acute respiratory infections (ARI) among which most important were viral respiratory infections (AVRI) as well as mycoplasmosis. The most important was the fact that AVRI not only were conducive to the generation of sepsis but caused its exacerbation. In the latter cases the development of fresh septic metastases was observed. This was associated with local (vascular damage) and general (disorders in the immunological status) changes in the patients arising as a result of AVRI.