Pneumonitis

Pneumonitis
Pneumonitis
Classification and external resources
Patient UK	Pneumonitis

Pneumonitis or pulmonitis is an inflammation of lung tissue ^[1][2] due to factors other than microorganisms. Those can be radiation therapy of the chest ^[3], exposure to medications used during chemo-therapy, the inhalation of debris (e.g., animal dander), of food particles during vomiting, herbicides or fluorocarbons and some systemic diseases.

It is distinguished from pneumonia on the basis of causation as well as its manifestation since pneumonia can be described as pneumonitis combined with consolidation and exudation of lung tissue due to infection with microorganism.^[4]

Classification

It can be classified into acute interstitial pneumonitis, blood pneumonitis, lymphocytic interstitial pneumonitis, radiation pneumonitis, and uremic pneumonitis.^[2]

Causes

• Viral infection. Measles can cause severe pneumonitis, and ribavirin has been proposed as a possible treatment. CMV is another cause.
• Pneumonia
• Radiation therapy
• Inhaling chemicals, such as sodium hydroxide^[5]
• Sepsis
• Adverse reaction to medications
• Hypersensitivity to inhaled agents^[6]
• Inhalation of spores of some species of mushroom (bronchoalveolar allergic syndrome)^[7]
• Mercury exposure
• Smoking
• Overexposure to chlorine
• Bronchial obstruction (obstructive pneumonitis or post-obstructive pneumonitis)
• Ascariasis (during parasite migration)

Diagnosis

Chest X-ray

See also

• Hypersensitivity pneumonitis, also known as extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA)

References

External links