Acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP) is a disease of a sudden onset. Respiratory failure develops rapidly in the majority of cases and frequently requires mechanical ventilation. The characteristic radiographic findings in computed tomography resemble of diffuse ground glass opacity. The article presents a case of clinically difficult 41‑year old patient with a several years history of bronchial asthma and rapidly progressing respiratory failure. Laboratory tests were dominated by leukocytosis, high CRP level; levels of antibodies: ANA, cANCA, pANCA were within the reference range. Initial empirical antibiotic therapy was not successful. Addition of immunosuppressive drugs caused improvement. Clinical data of physical examination and differential diagnosis indicate possible hypersensitivity reaction to acetylsalicylic acid.