Influenza virus infection can result in a wide range of immune pathological damage, and the continuous replication of the virus and the excessive immune response of the hosts are the main reasons for the injury. Based on the key factors in the initial stage of virus infection, this paper summarized the advantages and disadvantages of immune response in anti-virus and mediating lung injury, which provide a reference for in-depth understanding of the mechanism of influenza virus defense and a reasonable and effective treatment strategy.