[Intestinal lesions in acute respiratory viral and mycoplasma infections].

Histologic study using semiquantitative analysis and immunofluorescent microscopy of the intestine performed on 278 children of different age who died of acute respiratory, viral and Mycoplasma infections revealed intestinal changes in 168 cases. The incidence and degree of these changes depended on the duration of the disease and the type of the intensive therapy used. Beginning from day 2 of the disease specific changes in the enterocytes in the form of giant-cell metamorphosis were noted. These changes gradually increased reaching their maximum on day 7-9 when in all cases of acute viral respiratory infections microlysis of enterocytes was observed. It was maximal on day 5-6 and inhibited under the influence of intensive therapy. In addition some nonspecific changes were present: circulatory disorders and cellular reaction of the stroma, that changed depending on the duration of the disease being probably a manifestation of a local immune reaction.