Influenza A/H1N1 Severe Pneumonia: Novel Morphocytological Findings in Bronchoalveolar Lavage.
We present the results of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) performed in three patients with severe influenza A/H1N1 pneumonia complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Light microscopy analysis of BAL cytocentrifugates showed the presence of characteristic large, mononuclear, plasmoblastic/plasmocytoid-like cells never described before. Via transmission electron microscopy, these cells were classified as atypical type II pneumocytes and some of them showed cytoplasmic vesicles and inclusions. We concluded that plasmoblastic/plasmocytoid-like type II pneumocytes might represent a morphologic marker of A/H1N1 influenza virus infection as well as reparative cellular activation after diffuse alveolar damage.
Department of Health Science, University of Milan Bicocca, Clinica Pneumologica, AO San Gerardo, Via Pergolesi 33, 20900 Monza, Italy ; University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 8300 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
Paola
P
Faverio
Department of Health Science, University of Milan Bicocca, Clinica Pneumologica, AO San Gerardo, Via Pergolesi 33, 20900 Monza, Italy.
Stefano
0000-0002-0090-4531
S
Aliberti
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 8300 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
Clinton
0000-0003-4619-4253
C
Ezekiel
Department of Health Science, University of Milan Bicocca, Clinica Pneumologica, AO San Gerardo, Via Pergolesi 33, 20900 Monza, Italy.
Grazia
G
Messinesi
Anatomia Patologica, AO San Gerardo, Via Pergolesi 33, 20900 Monza, Italy.
Ambrogio
A
Brenna
Department of Health Science, University of Milan Bicocca, Clinica Pneumologica, AO San Gerardo, Via Pergolesi 33, 20900 Monza, Italy.
Alberto
A
Pesci