Aspergillosis
Aspergillosis is an infection caused by Aspergillus, a common mould found in soil, compost, and decaying plant matter. Most healthy people inhale its spores every day without any problem. The infection becomes a concern mainly in people whose immune systems are already under pressure, such as those on long-term corticosteroids, patients recovering from transplants, or those receiving cancer treatment.
Key points
- Healthy people breathe in the mould’s spores every day without harm; illness mainly develops once immunity is already compromised.
- The invasive lung form brings persistent cough, chest pain and breathlessness, while a fungal mass in an existing cavity may cause few symptoms.
- An allergic form tends to occur in people who already have asthma, making wheeze and airway swelling worse.
Who gets it and how it presents
The most frequent form is invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, where the fungus takes hold in lung tissue. Symptoms can include a persistent cough, chest pain, breathlessness, and in some cases coughing up blood. A less invasive form, aspergilloma, produces a fungal ball in an existing lung cavity and may cause few symptoms beyond mild coughing. Allergic forms, such as allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, tend to affect people with asthma or cystic fibrosis and show up as worsening wheeze and airway inflammation.
Antifungal treatment
Treatment depends on which form of aspergillosis is present and how severe it is. For invasive disease, triazole antifungals are the cornerstone of management. Itraconazole is used for less severe or chronic forms, including aspergilloma and allergic disease, where it reduces fungal burden and dampens the inflammatory response. Seek medical assessment promptly if symptoms worsen or if a fever develops alongside respiratory deterioration, as invasive aspergillosis can progress quickly in immunocompromised individuals.