[Immune system response in pneumonia in children during the first year of life].

Lung, immune organs, hypophysis and adrenals of 74 children aged from 1 month to 1 year who died from acute pneumonia are studied. It is found that fatal pneumonia in one-year-old children developed as a rule against the grave premorbid background. Late hospitalization resulted in death of 47% of the patients within first 24 hrs after admission to hospital. Invasion of pathogenic agents results in secondary immunodeficiency as a response to stress during the development of general adaptation syndrome. Preventive measures are recommended for the prophylaxis of respiratory infections in subjects with abnormal premorbid background, early hospitalization and immunomodulating treatment under the control of immune system and adrenal cortex.