[Acute eosinophilic pneumonia. Possible role of chloroquine].

We report the case of a patient aged 49 who presented with a picture of an acute respiratory distress syndrome developing over several days after the preventative treatment of a burn using chloroquine (Nivaquine). The combination of clinical data, radiological and clinical as well as the broncho-alveolar lavage, enabled a diagnosis of acute eosinophilic pneumonia to be made according to Allen's criteria. The outcome after stopping the cloroquine and treating with corticosteroids was rapidly favourable and without any relapse. Based on this observation, we recall the characteristics of acute eosinophilic pneumonia as well as the causes which are currently established. Their potentially serious nature should encourage people to report similar cases to ours because even if we have not made identical observations to other cases. Chloroquine seems to us responsible for the clinical picture presented by our patient.