Open AccessDiffuse interstitial lung infiltrates in a smoker with human immunodeficiency virus infection
Author(s) -
Viswanath Vasudevan,
Praveen Jinnur,
Vishal Verma,
Sasikanth Nallagatla
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
lung india
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.457
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 0974-598X
pISSN - 0970-2113
DOI - 10.4103/0970-2113.83978
Subject(s) - medicine , bronchoalveolar lavage , lung , pathology , etiology , interstitial lung disease , lung biopsy , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , bronchoscopy , biopsy , immunology
Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis is a rare interstitial lung disease characteristically affecting middle-aged smokers. It has unpredictable clinical course and may be associated with malignant neoplasms. Opportunistic lung infections are frequently considered when patients with Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection present with respiratory symptoms and an abnormal chest X-ray. Though fiberoptic bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage is diagnostic for infectious etiologies, surgical lung biopsies are preferred to diagnose noninfectious lung diseases and to help guide appropriate therapy. In the present study, we report a case of progressive bilateral lung infiltrates in a smoker with HIV infection which presented a diagnostic dilemma in view of coexistent HIV infection. Analysis of clinical symptomatology aided by surgical lung biopsy helped in diagnosis.