[Pulmonary edemas of infectious origin].

Diffuse pulmonary edema, capable of arising in the absence of hemodynamic disorders is rare in infectious disease. They take on two different clinical appearances: a) acute edema of the lung with the syndrome of asphysia, b) a subacute dyspneic pneumonia with hypoxemia and hypo or normocapnia. These initial disorders can be followed by progressive respiratory failure secondary to the development of diffuse interstitial lesions with fibrosis and intra-alveolar hyaline deposits. The bronchiolo-alveolar lesions which induce a fibrin rich exudate are directly caused by the patogenic agent: myxovirus, essentially influenzae, and more rarely adeno or herpes virus. The role of bacteria and of certain parasites is more debateable.