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I'm an old U.S. Marine with Sarcoidosis. I have not had a episode in over 7 years.Sarcoidosis (SAR-coy-DOH-sis) is a multisystem granulomatous disease of unknown etiology. This is a worldwide disease with the lowest prevalence in the Far East and the highest in Sweden. The prevalence in the United States is 20-50/100,000 population. Sarcoidosis has a higher frequency in people of color and in women, but the disease is also common in whites and men in the U.S. and throughout the world.Sarcoidosis does occur in children and elderly, but most patients present between ages 20-40 years. The condition can strike anywhere in the body, from the skin to the liver. But it most commonly affects the lungs, causing shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing and, occasionally, chest pain. The most common presenting findings are thoracic lymphadenopathy, lung parenchymal abnormality, and lesions of the skin and eye.Death rarely results from sarcoidosis, but the condition was listed, along with sleep apnea, as a probable factor in the death of former National Football League player Reggie White in December 2004.Other famous people with sarcoidosis include basketball legend Bill Russell, sitcom actress Tisha Campbell-Martin, model-actress Karen Duffy, who wrote a book about her rare form of the disease, which affected her gait and caused devastating headaches and Bernie Mac sitcom actor of "The Bernie Mac Show" announced in February of 2005 that he's had sarcoidosis since 1983. His health had been the subject of speculation since last summer when he was hospitalized and later released. The latest person to talk about having Sarcoidosis is Singer/Songwriter Angie Stone. Finally,you can't catch sarcoidosis from someone who has it. More research is needed to discover what causes sarcoidosis.