Pulmonary defence mechanisms: damage and repair. Opportunities for intervention.

In this article pulmonary defence mechanisms and factors causing (progressive) tissue damage in some common settings of lower respiratory tract infections are dealt with. Opportunities for intervention are different, considering the proper cause. Passive immunization is appropriate in case of immune deficiency and active immunization applies to a series of clinical conditions in which the immune system for the greater part is intact but other defence mechanisms are impaired. Besides antibiotic treatment, anti-inflammatory therapy is considered beneficial, anticipating progressive tissue damage.