Respiratory System Diseases
Respiratory disease, any of the diseases and disorders of the airways and the lungs that affect human respiration. Diseases of the respiratory system may affect any of the structures and organs that have to do with breathing, including the nasal cavities, the pharynx (or throat), the larynx, the trachea (or windpipe), the bronchi and bronchioles, the tissues of the lungs, and the respiratory muscles of the chest cage.
Respiratory System Diseases Encyclopedia Articles
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paragonimiasis
Paragonimiasis, infection caused by parasitic trematodes of the genus Paragonimus. Infection most commonly is with the lung fluke Paragonimus westermani, which may reach some 8 to 12 mm (0.3 to 0.5 inch)...
lung cancer
Lung cancer, disease characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells in the lungs. Lung cancer was first described by doctors in the mid-19th century. In the early 20th century it was considered relatively...
SARS
SARS, highly contagious respiratory illness characterized by a persistent fever, headache, and bodily discomfort, followed by a dry cough that may progress to great difficulty in breathing. SARS appeared...
emphysema
Emphysema, condition characterized by widespread destruction of the gas-exchanging tissues of the lungs, resulting in abnormally large air spaces. Lungs affected by emphysema show loss of alveolar walls...
respiratory distress syndrome of newborns
Respiratory distress syndrome of newborns, a common complication in infants, especially in premature newborns, characterized by extremely laboured breathing, cyanosis (a bluish tinge to the skin or mucous...
common cold
Common cold, acute viral infection that starts in the upper respiratory tract, sometimes spreads to the lower respiratory structures, and may cause secondary infections in the eyes or middle ears. More...