Cited by 171Influenza Virus Research StudiesRespiratory viral infections researchPneumonia and Respiratory Infections

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 49 of the 50 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 57 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Myocardial Injury and Bacterial Pneumonia Contribute to the Pathogenesis of Fatal Influenza B Virus Infection

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Influenza B virus infection causes rates of hospitalization and influenza-associated pneumonia similar to seasonal influenza A virus infection and accounts for a substantial percentage of all influenza-related hospitalizations and deaths among those aged <18 years; however, the pathogenesis of fatal influenza B virus infection is poorly described. METHODS: Tissue samples obtained at autopsy from 45 case patients with fatal influenza B virus infection were evaluated by light microscopy and immunohistochemical assays for influenza B virus, various bacterial pathogens, and complement components C4d and C9, to identify the cellular tropism of influenza B virus, characterize concomitant bacterial pneumonia, and describe the spectrum of cardiopulmonary injury. RESULTS: Viral antigens were localized to ciliated respiratory epithelium and cells of submucosal glands and ducts. Concomitant bacterial pneumonia, caused predominantly by Staphylococcus aureus, was identified in 38% of case patients and occurred with significantly greater frequency in those aged >18 years. Pathologic evidence of myocardial injury was identified in 69% of case patients for whom cardiac tissue samples were available for examination, predominantly in case patients aged <18 years. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that bacterial pneumonia and cardiac injury contribute to fatal outcomes after infection with influenza B virus and that the frequency of these manifestations may be age related.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

In a 45-patient autopsy series of fatal influenza B virus infection, death was often rapid and was frequently accompanied by bacterial pneumonia or myocardial injury. Cardiac injury and/or bacterial pneumonia were identified in 90% of case patients for whom these features could be assessed.

Key findings

  • Among 45 case patients, median age at death was 11 years (range, 10 months–55 years), and 34 (76%) were aged <18 years; median time from illness onset to death was 3 days (range, 1–22 days), with 24 of 35 (69%) dying within 4 days.
  • Pathologic evidence of concomitant bacterial pneumonia was present in 17 (38%) case patients; among those with bacterial pneumonia, *Staphylococcus aureus* was confirmed in 13 (76%), including 7 with methicillin-resistance markers and 11 with Panton-Valentine leukocidin markers.
  • Myocardial injury was identified in 20 of 29 (69%) case patients with cardiac tissue available; 10 had unequivocal myocarditis, and C4d/C9 IHC staining was seen in 19 of 28 (68%) tested.
  • Cardiac injury and bacterial pneumonia were prominent: one or both features were identified in 90% of case patients for whom these pathologic characteristics could be assessed, and cardiac muscle damage was evident in 85% of evaluated patients without bacterial pneumonia.

Methods

  • Retrospective autopsy case series of tissue samples submitted to the CDC from patients with suspected infectious cause of death during May 2000–February 2010; 45 patients with confirmed influenza B virus infection were examined.
  • Histopathology and immunohistochemistry assessed airway, lung, cardiac, and lymph node tissues; influenza B viral antigens were detected with pooled monoclonal antibodies against nucleocapsid and hemagglutinin, and bacterial coinfection was assessed with tissue Gram/silver stains plus IHC for selected bacterial antigens.
  • Molecular analysis used real-time RT-PCR for influenza B hemagglutinin and lineage-specific probes, plus multiplex real-time PCR for *S. aureus* *nuc*, PVL, and *mecA* genes; categorical features were compared with two-sided Fisher’s exact test and continuous data with Wilcoxon rank-sum test.

Limitations

  • The paper states that the study was limited by restricted analysis of case patients for whom an autopsy was performed and tissue samples were sent to the CDC, and by qualitative and quantitative differences among submitted tissue samples.
  • The text also makes evident that this is a selected autopsy cohort with missing data for some clinical and pathologic features, so frequencies may not represent all fatal influenza B infections.
  • The paper notes uncertainty about pathogenic mechanisms, including that no viral antigens were detected in damaged myocardium and influenza B nucleic acids were amplified from myocardium in only 1 case patient, leaving the relative contributions of viral-mediated injury and ischemia unresolved.

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Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1093/infdis/jir861

Cites

49 of 49 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

54 Own result · 24 Not checked yet · 4 Own method · 3 Own interpretation

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  • It may state two separate claims as one. 21
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 25
39 of 39
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    No comprehensive studies describe the pathology of influenza B virus infection in a large series of patients with fatal disease or distinguish the pathology of disease with and without concomitant bacterial pneumonia.

    “To our knowledge, there are no comprehensive studies to describe the pathology of influenza B virus infection in a large series of patients with fatal disease or to distinguish the pathology of disease with and without concomitant bacterial pneumonia.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    No large studies have specifically identified cardiac injury as a frequent manifestation of fatal influenza B.

    “however, we are not aware of any large studies that specifically identify cardiac injury as a frequent manifestation of fatal influenza B.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The pathogenic mechanisms that lead to injury to striated fibers in the heart and skeletal muscles are unknown.

    “The pathogenic mechanisms that lead to injury to striated fibers in the heart and skeletal muscles remain unknown.”
3 of 3

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Citations

Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Emery, 2009, Multiplex BHQplus™ hydrolysis probe rRT-PCR assay for discrimination of current Yamagata-like and Victoria-like influenza B viruses [abstract M13]

Cited by

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Items 101–171 of 171

Metadata

Authors
Paddock, C. D., Liu, L., Denison, A. M., Bartlett, J. H., Holman, R. C., DeLeon-Carnes, M., Emery, S. L., Drew, C. P., Shieh, W.-J., Uyeki, T. M., & Zaki, S. R.
Affiliations
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US)
Venue
The Journal of Infectious Diseases
Published
2012-01-30
Volume
205
Issue
6
Pages
895-905
ISSN
  • 0022-1899 (ISSN-L)
  • 1537-6613
OpenAlex
W2162655125
Cited by
171
References
50
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 9
FWCI
9.07
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • The Journal of Infectious Diseases (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Influenza Virus Research Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Respiratory viral infections research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Pneumonia and Respiratory Infections
Keywords
influenza B, fatal influenza, myocardial injury, bacterial pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, influenza-associated pneumonia, cell tropism, complement C4d, complement C9, age-related mortality, autopsy findings
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Antigens, Viral, Autopsy, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Heart Injuries, Hospitalization, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Influenza, Human, Male, Middle Aged, Myocardium, Influenza B virus, Specimen Handling, Staphylococcus aureus, Cohort Studies, Pneumonia, Bacterial, Young Adult, Viral Tropism

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