Category FAQs Search : Rare Lung Diseases
Question: What causes rare lung diseases?
Answer: Many rare lung diseases are genetic disorders. Babies are born with disease-causing changes encoded in their genes. But some diseases may not develop until later in life.
The causes of rare pulmonary diseases also include:
1. Environmental exposures, including breathing in asbestos, bird droppings, coal dust, mold, tobacco smoke or other chemicals.
2. Infections from bacterial, viral or fungal causes.
3. Medications, such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, chemotherapy drugs or heart medications.
4. Other health disorders, including autoimmune diseases (when your immune system harms your body) such as dermatomyositis and polymyositis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or scleroderma.
5. Unknown causes, or idiopathic disease.
(Source: Cleveland Clinic, 31 Jan 2026)
Source Link: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21684-rare-lung-diseases