Question

Aspergillosis: Signs, Causes and Treatment

Dr.Hemraj Meena · Accepted Answer

Fungus, especially mold, cause an infection known as aspergillosis. Aspergillosis infection causes illness which severely affects the respiratory system. Different illnesses cause different symptoms in the body. ;

The mold that causes the infection is known by the name aspergillus, which is found everywhere inside and outside the living area like a house. There are many strains of mold, among them some are harmless but some cause severe illness to the body. People with weak immune systems can suffer high infection and can go under with diseases like lung disease and asthma.

Spores found in mold cause you asthma. This spores on inhaling through the nose, when they reach inside they trigger an allergic reaction. This reaction leads to mild or serious lung infections. ;

Aspergillosis has many forms of infection or layers of infection depending on to what extent it has gone in the body. Invasive aspergillosis is the serious form, this invasion or infection reaches to blood vessels and to tissues. Due to its variation it is necessary to know a particular type of infection, according to which there will be treatment.

Signs and symptoms: aspergillosis infect body in different form so the illness are of different type, which have different sign and symptoms:

Allergic reaction

People who have earlier asthma or cystic fibrosis tend to have an allergic reaction in the body on getting infected with aspergillus mold. The name given to the appearance of signs and symptoms of such allergic reactions is allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Sign are:

There will be fever

They will cough with blood or mucus.

Earlier asthma will wornsens its condition.

Aspergilloma

When people have pulmonary / chronic lung disease like emphysema, tuberculosis or advanced sarcoidosis, these diseases create cavities or air spaces inside the lungs. Mostly we can treat it with symptoms. ;

People with such diseases when they get infected with aspergillus mold, spores get inside along with their fungus fiber; this fungus part gets an area to grow inside the cavity caused by pulmonary diseases. As they grow into cavities and transform themselves into tangled masses/ fungus balls.

This fungus ball is known as aspergillomas. Earlier this did not cause any serious symptoms but later on being treated they caused serious symptoms. Earlier sign are of mild cough but later sigh are:

Hemoptysis, a condition in which blood comes while coughing along with the mucus.

Wheezing

Shortness of breath

There will be weight loss

There will be fatigue all the time.

Invasive aspergillosis

Invasive aspergillosis type of infection with the aspergillus mold is of serious type. In this the infection spread from lungs to blood vessels which inturn spread it to brain, heart, kidney and to skin. ;

People who have weak immune systems due to chemotherapy or due to abuse of drugs, transplantation of bone marrow, or hiv or whose immune system got damaged by serious infection, usually get invasive aspergillosis. Insavise form of aspergillosis is the most dangerous form because it can spread anywhere in the body.

The sign and symptoms of invasive aspergillosis are different in different people because it effect on organs differently in people: we may point out the general symptoms, they are:

They will suffer fever and chills.

They will suffer from hemoptysis. Hemoptysis, a condition in which blood comes while coughing along with the mucus.

There will be shortness of breath and if there is asthma it will be severe.

There is heavy pain in chest area.

Headaches or eye pain will be there.

Skin might develop lesions due to infection.

When to see a doctor: people who suffer from asthma or cystic fibrosis make a note of breathing. If there is change in your breathing please see the doctor immediately. People with weak immune systems who have frequent fever with coughs coming with blood and have shortness of breath should visit the doctor. They should not compare it with cold. If invasive aspergillosis is there will symptoms like:

They will suffer fever and chills.

They will suffer from hemoptysis. Hemoptysis, a condition in which blood comes while coughing along with the mucus.

There will be shortness of breath and if there is asthma it will be severe.

There is heavy pain in chest area.

Headaches or eye pain will be there.

Skin might develop lesions due to infection.

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Causes:

When plant or composite matter, plant leaves decay there will be aspergillus mold. We can find it in the grain field. There is an exposure with aspergillus everyday and there is no problem for people who have a healthy immune system.

Usually on inhaling fungus immunity cells target the fungus and destroy them. But people having weak immunity can't do it properly so allowing the fungus to grow and invade more inside leading to invasive and causing serious problems. ;

Medication usually weakens the immunity system. So it spreads deep in the body everywhere but it does not spread from person to person.

Treatment: there are antibiotics and other medication to deal with aspergillosis but for invasive there is little chance to deal with it.

Conclusion:

Aspergillus mold causes infection particularly to lungs but when left untreated it does invade inside which is fatal for the patient. There are signs to know but we should be careful especially people with other lung problems. For more information please visit the doctor.

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