SFTPD and infection: This is in agreement with other reports where SP-D levels increase in response to acute lung stress following pulmonary challenges with, for example, lipopolysaccharide [32], bleomycin [33] and ovalbumin [34] Similarly, SP-D levels increase in the BAL following infections by Aspergillus fumigatus [35], Actinobacillus pleurpneumoniae or Staphylococcus aureus [36].