Coinfections in the lung: How viral infection creates a favorable environment for bacterial and fungal infections.

While it is well established that secondary bacterial pneumonia plays a significant role in the morbidity and mortality of patients with severe respiratory viral infections, bacteria are not the only threat for these patients. Viral infection "aftershocks" Many of the physiologic and immunologic outcomes in the lung resulting from respiratory viral infection, especially with influenza viruses, are well established as to their role in secondary bacterial infection susceptibility and beginning to be elucidated for secondary fungal infections. I fumigatus i infection in mice post-influenza resulted in increased susceptibility [[21]], but others have not observed this in mice [[22]] or humans [[5], [23]], suggesting further defects in antifungal immunity must exist following viral infection. [Extracted from the article]