Is Interstitial Lung Disease Contagious?
The common interstitial pneumonitis ( idiopathic pneumonic fibrosis ) is not contagious . A lesion is acquire in the alveolus that stimulates fibrosis . The causal agency is unknown , but it is not due to an infectious cause , therefore : it does not spread and become contagious .
Diffuse interstitial lung disease ( DILD ) represent a very heterogenous radical of conditions that have clinical , radiological and functional manifestations , in the which the primary anatomopathological alteration impact alveolointerstitial structures , that means that they affect the epithelium , the alveolar paries , the capillary endothelium and the connective tissue ( perilymphatic and perivascular ) consist between the septum and located in the peribronchiolar tissue .
More than 150 entity are known , although it is only possible to identify the causal agent in about a third of the cases . Three grouping are tell apart . The first group is represent by idiopathic interstitials pneumonia , which is of unknown campaign . The second radical include those entity of a known drive or link up with other diseases , including those consort with collagen diseases , because of drugs , constituent dust ( extrinsic allergic dry socket ) , inorganic junk ( pneumonoconiosis ) and those associated with transmitted disease . The third group consists of a solidifying of entity that , despite being idiopathic , have well - limit clinical and histological features .
Pathogeny
Most of these entities have a similar pathogenesis . Theories accept in the past times carry that , as a consequence of the action of a causative agentive role ( known or not ) , lesions occur at the degree of the alveolar epithelium , activating the inflammatory cells ( macrophage , neutrophils , eosinophile , mast cell , lymphocytes ) and parenchymal cell ( fibroblasts , epithelial cells ) that secrete cellular mediators ( cytokines , free chemical group … ) that act in an autocrine and/or paracrine style , give rise to continuing alveolar inflammation ( alveolitis ) and the visual aspect of pneumonic fibrosis .
In the subject of idiopathic pneumonic fibrosis , recent studies consider that fervor is a secondary phenomenon . The new theory postulate that the main issue in the ontogeny of this disease would be the cellular wound of the alveolar epithelial tissue , which would shake the proliferation of fibroblasts and the developing of fibrosis . This would explain in a certain way the ineffectuality of anti - inflammatory treatments based on the use of goods and services of corticosteroids .
Not all DILD lead to pulmonary fibrosis , there are certain factor that modulate evolution from alveolitis to pulmonic fibrosis .
Among them , it is worth noting the nature of the etiological agent , the integrity of the cellar membrane of the pneumonic interstitium , the genetic predisposition , and hereditary gene .
Clinical Features
It usually occurs after 50 age , with an insidious onset , in the word form of progressive dyspnoea and ironic coughing . In the strong-arm examination , doctors will obtain crepitant eccentric velcro in 90 % and acropachy in 20 - 50 % of cases . There is a form of familial pulmonary fibrosis that affects two or more members of the same family , with standardised characteristics but with early onset .
Radiological studies show infiltrates peripheral graticule more marked in base connect with honeycombing and loss of volume of low lobe and extensive architectural distortion .
Risk Factors
baccy : Some entities occur with more frequency in smokers , such as desquamative interstitial pneumonia , respiratory bronchiolitis - interstitial lung disease , and histiocytosis X. Smokers are less susceptible to present sarcoidosis or hypersensitivity pneumonitis .
A history of smoking can lead to the coexistence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease .
long time and sex : Some DILD are more frequent between 20 - 40 class of age , as is the case of sarcoidosis and histiocytosis X. On the opposite , the majority of patients with idiopathic pulmonic fibrosis ( IPF ) are old than 55 years . Lymphangioleiomyomatosis occur solely in womanhood of childbearing age .
business , hobbies , trips , environment : History of photograph , its duration and whether it carried out respiratory protection .
phratry background : 5 % of the IPF can be transmitted in a family unit . The alveolar microlithiasis , tuberous sclerosis , and neurofibromatosis are instance of DILD with a hereditary history .
premature intervention : Chemotherapy , radiotherapy . There is a across-the-board list of drugs capable of causing interstitial disease .
There are three well - distinguished groups of interstitial lung diseases , most of them of unknown effort .
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