Broncho-pneumonia Health Dictionary

Inflammation of lung tissue... pneumonia

PNEUMONIA caused by a species of the genus of PROTOZOA, a parasitic micro-organism. Pneumocystis carinii causes an opportunistic infection in the lung which is dangerous to people whose immune system is impaired (see IMMUNITY), thus reducing their resistance to infections. People with AIDS/HIV or LEUKAEMIA have impaired immune systems and P. carinii is a major cause of death in the former. Fever, dry cough and breathlessness are among the symptoms; treatment is with high doses of antibiotic drugs such as CO-TRIMOXAZOLE or PENTAMIDINE.... pneumocystis pneumonia

Infection of the lung tissue by a VIRUS. Causes of this type of pneumonia include ADENOVIRUSES, COXSACKIE VIRUSES and in?uenza virus. Viral infections do not respond to ANTIBIOTICS and treatment is symptomatic, with antibiotics used only if the patient develops secondary bacterial infection. In a previously healthy individual the viral infection is usually self-limiting, but in vulnerable patients – the elderly or those with pre-existing disease – it can be fatal.... viral pneumonia

any one of a group of community-acquired *pneumonias that do not respond to penicillin but do respond to such antibiotics as tetracycline and erythromycin. They include infection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia psittaci (see psittacosis), and Coxiella burnetii (see Q fever).... atypical pneumonia

(BOOP) a disease entity characterized clinically by a flulike illness with cough, fever, shortness of breath, and late inspiratory crackles; there are specific histological features and patchy infiltrates on X-ray. It is sometimes the result of a viral infection, but may follow medication with certain drugs or be associated with connective-tissue disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis. The condition usually responds to oral corticosteroids; however, if a drug is implicated, it must be withdrawn.... bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia

(CAP) see pneumonia.... community-acquired pneumonia

(interstitial pneumonitis) an alternative name for *idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis used by lung pathologists to classify the different cellular types of the disease. The most common cellular pattern is usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP). A differing cellular pattern is seen in patients with nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP), who have a better prognosis than those with UIP. There are two variants of NSIP: cellular and fibrosing. The former has chronic inflammatory cells with minimal collagen deposition, while the latter consists of diffuse interstitial fibrosis with fewer inflammatory cells. It is believed that corticosteroid therapy can slow the progression of cellular to fibrosing NSIP.... interstitial pneumonia

(NSIP) see interstitial pneumonia.... nonspecific interstitial pneumonia

(UIP) see interstitial pneumonia; idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.... usual interstitial pneumonia