Black History of Health: Bernie Mac

Bernie Mac, comedian, writer, actor, and the world’s favorite uncle died in 2008 from pneumonia. Diagnosed with sarcoidosis or sarcoid in his 20s, he managed the condition through medication. He was even in remission at the time of his death but it was said, however, that the pneumonia was due to immune system suppression caused by the same prescribed medicines for his sarcoid disease. The mysterious illness is often misdiagnosed and much like the exact cause of Bernie’s death, it’s misunderstood. So, just what is sarcoid, who’s susceptible to it, and how can it be treated?  RELATED: Remembering Bernie Mac: “I Ain’t Scared Of You!” What is sarcoidosis? According to the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR), sarcoidosis, also known as sarcoid, is an unusual inflammatory disorder of unknown cause. The inflammation it causes is also unusual in that it results in small nodules, called granulomas, which can join together to become larger nodules, and which can be present in a wide variety of organs, most typically the lungs. The nodules can interfere with normal organ function. The process that forms these nodules is called granulomatous inflammation, and it is also seen in the infectious illness tuberculosis. However, it is unclear...