[Pathogenesis and pathology of acute respiratory infections].

The paper deals with modern results on the pathogenesis of acute respiratory infections (ARI) caused by viruses. The course of the disease depends on exogenic (viral) factors and intrinsic individual conditions. The earliest steps of infection are only understood by immunologic, biochemical and virologic considerations until the first, only by electronmicroscopy detectable structural lesions of cells, the mucosa and the lung tissue can be seen and finally more or less severe damages of the respiratory tract with bronchitis and pneumonia occur. At first this is considered from a general point of view for all ARI with regard to local pathologic changes of bronchial tree and lung, to doubtlessly existing viremias and general toxic and circulatory damages of the whole organism. Thereafter some typical but different findings caused by the most important viruses are shortly described.