Aspergillus - Aspergillosis

Aspergillosis

For more details on this topic, see Aspergillosis.

Aspergillosis is the group of diseases caused by Aspergillus. The most common subtype among paranasal sinus infections associated with aspergillosis is Aspergillus fumigatus. The symptoms include fever, cough, chest pain or breathlessness, which also occur in many other illnesses so diagnosis can be difficult. Usually, only patients with already weakened immune systems or who suffer other lung conditions are susceptible.

In humans, the major forms of disease are:

• Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis or ABPA, which affects patients with respiratory diseases such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, and sinusitis.
• Acute invasive aspergillosis, a form that grows into surrounding tissue, more common in those with weakened immune systems such as AIDS or chemotherapy patients.
• Disseminated invasive aspergillosis, an infection spread widely through the body.
• Aspergilloma, a "fungus ball" that can form within cavities such as the lung

Aspergillosis of the air passages is also frequently reported in birds, and certain species of Aspergillus have been known to infect insects.