Influenza in pregnant women: a clinical case

Influenza is one of the most significant medical and economic health problems worldwide due to the high level of morbidity and contagiousness, which leads to large economic losses. Influenza is widespread everywhere, affects all groups of the population, causing the development of epidemics and pandemics. Influenza viruses, especially type A virus, have many subtypes with different combinations of the main surface antigens – hemagglutinin and neuraminidase. Various epidemic subtypes of influenza caused by type A virus are the reason for the annual rise in morbidity. Influenza is a serious danger for people at risk, which can include people suffering from a number of chronic diseases for a long time, such as diseases of the cardiovascular system, respiratory tract (including bronchial asthma), various metabolic disorders, primary and secondary immunodeficiency conditions, malignant neoplasms, as well as the same pregnancy, especially in the third trimester. So, for example, high susceptibility to influenza in people suffering from bronchial asthma is due to specific pathogenetic processes associated with the defeat of the epithelium of the respiratory tract by an infectious agent, suppression of the activity and functional ability of macrophages and T-lymphocytes, which in turn can significantly increase the risk of secondary bacterial flora joining, and as a consequence a more severe course of the infectious process with the development of various complications. The analysis presented in this article of a clinical case of severe influenza A in a pregnant woman suffering from bronchial asthma for a long time is a good example of how the immunocompromised and comorbid background of patients affects the severity and form of the flu course. In the article, the authors noted that early detection of influenza and the appointment of adequate complex therapy helps to reduce the frequency of occurrence and manifestation of complications. The authors also emphasized the special importance and leading role of timely and mass vaccination of the population, and first of all those at risk, which leads to a decrease in the growth of morbidity and the spread of the epidemic process. However, despite the existence of specific prevention, the incidence of influenza remains high, which once again indicates the importance of the problem and the need to update the measures necessary to reduce the intensity of the epidemic process.

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