Acute interstitial pneumonitis (also known as acute interstitial pneumonia or Hamman–Rich syndrome) is a rare, severe lung disease that usually affects otherwise healthy individuals. There is no known cause or cure. Acute interstitial pneumonitis is often categorized as both an interstitial lung disease and a form of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) but it is distinguished from the chronic forms of interstitial pneumonia such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.