Isolation of Measles Virus at Autopsy in Cases of Giant-Cell Pneumonia without Rash

Abstract

GIANT-cell pneumonia, often referred to as Hecht's giant-cell pneumonia, is an interstitial pneumonitis that has so far been observed only in children. It is characterized by the presence of multinuclear giant cells with intranuclear and intracyto-plasmic inclusion bodies.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Additional pathological features are a preponderance of mononuclear cells in the infiltrate, squamous metaplasia of the bronchial and bronchiolar epithelium, proliferation of alveolar lining cells and the occurrence in occasional cases of giant cells in organs other than the lungs. The changes characteristically found in the affected lung are illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The diagnosis of giant-cell pneumonia, which has been . . .