Asthma - is a chronic disease that makes your lungs very sensitive and can

make it hard to breathe. Asthma can’t be cured, but with proper treatment,

people with asthma can lead normal, active lives.

Certain things can make your airways become swollen and filled with mucus. The

swelling and mucus makes your airways narrower, so it is hard for air to pass

through.

Asthma may also cause your airways to become small and tight. This makes

your airways narrower and makes it hard for air to pass through.

Asbestosis - is a chronic (long-term) lung disease caused by breathing in

asbestos fibres. Asbestos is a heat-resistant mineral that used to be common in

insulation, vinyl floor tiles, cement, brake linings and other products.

Bronchiectasis - involves damage to your airways (bronchial tubes), specifically

to the tiny hairs (cilia) that line the inside of your airways. Damaged cilia can't do

their job of sweeping dirt and mucus out of your lungs. With bronchiectasis, your

airways widen and stretch out. In some places the airways are so stretched out

they form little pockets. Germs, dust and mucus collect in these pockets and get

stuck.

Bronchitis - is swelling in your air passages (bronchi). Bronchi connect your

windpipe (trachea) with tiny air sacs (alveoli) in your lungs. Your body absorbs

inhaled oxygen across the walls of the alveoli.

Common Cold - The common cold is probably the most common respiratory

(breathing) disease. Many different viruses can cause a cold; over a hundred

cold viruses (rhinoviruses) have been identified so far. Cold viruses are very

contagious — it's easy to catch them from other people. When someone has a

cold, there is a lot of the cold-causing virus in their nose and throat. If the person

coughs or sneezes, they can spray the virus into the air and infect other people

directly.
COVID-19 - Coronavirus - refers to a family of viruses that can cause illness

ranging from the common cold to more serious respiratory disease. The new

coronavirus had not previously been found in humans.

Croup - is a viral infection that causes swelling in the throat and vocal cords

(larynx). Croup commonly affects children under five because their airways are

smaller and more prone to swelling. One of the tell-tale signs of croup is a loud,

"barky" cough that is worse at night.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) - is a lung disease that

includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. 80-90% of cases, it is caused by

smoking. Other causes of COPD can include: genetic reasons (alpha-1

antitrypsin deficiency), occupational dusts and chemicals, second hand smoke,

frequent lung infections as a child, wood smoke and other biomass (animal dung,

crop residues) fuel used for cooking. COPD develops over time. In most cases,

COPD is diagnosed in people over 40 years of age. Someone with COPD may

not realize that they are becoming more short of breath until it becomes very

hard to do simple tasks like walking up stairs. When you have COPD, your lungs

are obstructed or blocked, making it hard to breathe.

Hantavirus - Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome is a rare but serious lung disease

spread by deer, mice and other wild rodents. Hantavirus is found in the saliva,

urine and droppings of infected rodents.

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) - IPF is a chronic lung disease. This

means that is a long-lasting disease that needs treatment.

Influenza - The flu is a highly contagious illness caused by the influenza virus.

The influenza virus causes infections of the nose, throat and lungs. Some people

are more at risk for serious complications from the flu, including seniors, young

children, and people with long-term lung diseases like asthma and chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Flu can make asthma symptoms worse

and cause COPD flare-ups.

Lung Cancer - is cancer that starts in the lungs. Cancer is a disease where

cancer cells grow out of control, taking over normal cells and organs in the body.

Pertussis - also known as whooping cough – is a contagious infection of the

respiratory tract (breathing tubes). It causes severe coughing that can last for

weeks. People with pertussis often make a loud “whooping sound” when they

inhale after coughing.

Pleurisy - is an inflammation of the pleura. The pleura is a two layered

membrane that both encloses the lung and lines the chest cavity.

Pneumonia - is swelling (inflammation) of one or both lungs that is usually

caused by an infection. Many different germs can cause pneumonia, including

bacteria, viruses, and fungi. When you breathe in these germs, they can settle in

the air sacs (alveoli) of your lungs. Deep in your lungs, the germs may grow and

overcome your body's normal defenses.

Pulmonary Embolism - happens when one or more of your arteries in your

lungs gets blocked by a blood clot, fat or tumour. The most common type of

pulmonary embolism is caused by a blood clot that moves through your blood

stream, goes through your heart and blocks off an artery in your lung.

Pulmonary Hypertension - is a disease where you have abnormally high blood

pressure in the blood vessels of your lungs (pulmonary arteries). In PH, the

pulmonary arteries become narrowed, and can be scarred to the point of being

closed. PH is a serious illness, and can be life-threatening.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) - is a virus that infects the lungs and airways

(breathing passages). RSV can affect anyone of any age, but it's most common
in infants and young children. In fact, it's so common that almost all children have

been infected with RSV by the age of three.

Sleep Apnea - Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious breathing problem that

interrupts your sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea (also called OSA or obstructive

sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome) means you have short pauses in your

breathing when you sleep. These breathing pauses – called apneas or apnea

events – last for 10 to 30 seconds, maybe longer. People with obstructive sleep

apnea can stop breathing dozens or hundreds of times each night leading to

sleep disruption and low levels of oxygen.

Spirometry - is a common and effective diagnostic test that can easily be done

in your doctor's office or at a nearby hospital or clinic. You will be asked to take in

a big breath, and then blow as hard and long as you can into a machine. The

machine measures how much air you can blow out from your lungs and how fast

you can blow it out. Spirometry is the most reliable way to test your lungs for

COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and asthma.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) - is the sudden and unexplained death

of an infant who is younger than one year old. SIDS seems to strike without

warning, usually in babies who seem perfectly healthy.

Cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in the lungs, pancreas

and other organs. CF is a genetic disease. Though there is no cure for CF,

airway clearance therapy — manual physical therapy or a device that helps clear

the mucus — can help manage symptoms. Providers also treat CF with:

Antibiotics — both inhaled or intravenous (directly into the vein).

Anti-inflammatory drugs.

Inhaled enzymes.
 Lung transplantation.

Medications.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a type of incurable pulmonary

hypertension. PAH occurs when the arteries in your lungs thicken and narrow.

This restricts blood flow and raises blood pressure in your lungs. PAH may be

caused by: Congenital heart abnormalities, connective tissue disorders, genetics,

nfections, liver cirrhosis, and medications.

Interstitial lung diseases

Interstitial lung diseases include more than 200 lung disorders. These conditions

all involve progressive (worsening) scarring of the interstitium (in-ter-STI-she-

um). The interstitium is where the lungs’ alveoli meet blood vessels to exchange

oxygen and carbon dioxide.

Interstitial lung diseases include:

Beryllium disease: Chronic beryllium disease (CBD) results in lung

inflammation. This leads to the development of clusters of inflammatory cells

(granulomas) that scar your lungs. CBD results from inhaling powder or fumes of

beryllium. Beryllium is a metal used to make cars, computers, golf clubs and

other equipment. Corticosteroids can help you manage symptoms.

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis: Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) causes lung

inflammation that can lead to permanent scarring. HP results from breathing in

environmental allergens, including: Bacteria. Chemicals. Mold.

stiffness and scarring of lung tissue. “Idiopathic” means the cause is unknown,

though researchers have found that genes may account for 35% to 40% of the

risk . Though no cure exists, medications can help relieve symptoms. Some

medications may even slow the progression of the disease and delay the need

for oxygen and lung transplant.

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis: With lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), smooth

muscle cells block your airways and cysts form on your lungs. This causes

problems with breathing. Gene mutations (changes) lead to LAM. One of these

gene changes is hereditary (passed down through families) and one has

unknown causes. Providers treat LAM with: Lung transplant. Medication

(sirolimus, an immune-suppressing drug). Oxygen therapy. Pulmonary therapy.

Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia: Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP)

causes inflammation of the air sac (alveoli) walls of your lungs. The cause of

NSIP is unknown. But researchers suspect NSIP occurs due to: Autoimmune

diseases, Chemotherapy drugs, Genes, Inhaling chemicals or dust, Radiation

therapy.

Sarcoidosis: Sarcoidosis causes nodules (granulomas) to form in your lungs.

The cause of sarcoidosis is unknown, though researchers suspect genes and

environmental factors. Treatment includes: Chemotherapy drugs, corticosteroids,

corticotropin injections, malaria drugs, TNF inhibitors (used to treat rheumatoid

arthritis).

Reference:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21684-rare-lung-diseases
https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/respiratory-

disease

https://www.lung.ca/lung-health/lung-disease