Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis

Alternative names:

alveolar proteinosis

Definition:

A disease in which a phospholipid, a compound widely distributed in living cells, accumulates within alveolar spaces in the lung where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

In some cases the cause is unknown. In others, it results from infection or immune deficiency. Lung infiltrates and accumulation of fluid in the lungs develop. The course of the disease varies. It most commonly affects people 20 to 50 years old. The incidence is 5 out of 1 million people.