Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis and superinfection with pulmonary tuberculosis in a case

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare and diffuse lung process, characterized by the presence of alveolar spaces filled with amorphous eosinophilic material. Impaired macrophage function and impaired host defence due to abnormalities of surfactant proteins may favor the growth of microorganisms. The association of alveolar proteinosis with mycobacterial infections is rarely reported. The PAP and superinfection with pulmonary tuberculosis is defined by radiologic and histopathologic in a 46 year-old patient. The patients with PAP should be monitored for superinfection. It may cause the disease progression and radiological, clinical symptoms may improve with treatment of superinfection. Crown Copyright (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.