National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.

Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis

Important
It is possible that the main title of the report Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.

Synonyms

• Phospholipidosis
• PAP
• Alveolar Lipoproteinosis

Disorder Subdivisions

• Idiopathic Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis
• Secondary Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis
• Congenital Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis

General Discussion

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare lung disorder characterized by the accumulation of grainy material consisting mostly of protein and fat (lipoproteinaceous material) in the air sacs of the lungs (alveoli). Breathing often becomes progressively difficult. The disorder occurs in different forms, ranging from mild to severe, and can affect individuals of any age. PAP may occur secondary to many environmental exposures or underlying diseases. However, most cases of PAP occur for no known reason (idiopathic or primary PAP). An extremely rare form of PAP occurs in newborns (congenital PAP).

Resources

American Lung Association
61 Broadway, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10006
USA
Tel: (212)315-8700
Fax: (212)315-8870
Tel: (800)586-4872
Internet: http://www.lungusa.org

NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Information Center
P.O. Box 30105
Bethesda, MD 20824-0105
Tel: (301)592-8573
Fax: (301)251-1223
Email: nhlbiinfo@rover.nhlbi.nih.gov

Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
PO Box 8126
Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8126
Tel: (301)251-4925
Fax: (301)251-4911
Tel: (888)205-2311
TDD: (888)205-3223
Email: ordr@od.nih.gov
Internet: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/Default.aspx

British Paediatric Orphan Lung Disease (BPOLD)
Internet: http://www.bpold.co.uk

For a Complete Report

This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html

The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.

It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report

This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.

For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email orphan@rarediseases.org

Last Updated:  5/6/2008
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