Aspergillosis disease

Aspergillosis is a group of diseases caused by the aspergillus fungus. This disease affects the respiratory system and can spread to other parts of the body, such as :

• Skin.
• Eye.
• Sinus.

The majority of fungi are harmless, but some types of fungi can cause serious illness when the spores are inhaled by humans with disorders :

• Immune system.
• Lung disease.
• Asthma.

Symptoms.

Aspergillosis is characterized by different symptoms, depending on the type of disease.

Three types of aspergillosis :

• Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis ➡ a type of aspergillosis caused by allergies when inhaling aspergillus particles. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis attacks people with asthma or cystic fibrosis. Characterized by symptoms of fever, cough with phlegm or coughing up blood.
• Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (aspergilloma) ➡ Long-term infection affecting people with lung diseases, such as tuberculosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Characterized by symptoms of shortness of breath, weight loss, fatigue and coughing up blood.
• Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis ➡ This type of aspergillosis only attacks people with immune system disorders. Aspergillus fungus can spread to the bloodstream, so there is a risk of death if not treated quickly. Characterized by symptoms of fever, chills, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, chest pain or joint pain, nosebleeds, half swollen face.
• Aspergillosis which attacks the sinuses is characterized by symptoms of nosebleeds, fever, runny nose, facial pain and headache.

Cause.

Aspergillosis is caused by the aspergillus fungus. This fungus cannot be transmitted between humans. The aspergillus fungus is found in :

• Rotting leaves.
• Plant.
• Trees.

Factors that can increase the risk of aspergillosis :

• Suffer from an immune system disorder, such as HIV / AIDS.
• Low white blood cell count.
• Has air cavities in the lungs (cavities) that are formed due to radiation or other lung diseases such as tuberculosis and sarcoidosis.
• Suffering from asthma or cystic fibrosis.
• Have long-term corticosteroid therapy.

Diagnosis.

• Aspergillosis is difficult to diagnose and the method of detection differs depending on the type.
• X-ray or CT scan to see fungus ball (aspergilloma) in the lungs.
• Sputum test.
• Blood and tissue tests for antibodies, allergens and fungal molecules.
• Bronchoscopy.
• Biopsy : taking lung tissue to be sampled and studied. A biopsy is performed to diagnose invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.

Treatment.

Treatment of aspergillosis depends on the type of disease the patient has. Treatment steps that will be carried out :

• Observation using X-rays.
• Anti-fungal medication.
• Oral corticosteroid medication to prevent asthma or cystic fibrosis from getting worse. Oral corticosteroids are given to people with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.
• Surgery for bleeding in the lungs due to fungus ball, because anti-fungal drugs cannot penetrate aspergilloma properly. Surgery is performed to remove the fungus ball.
• Embolization: inserting a small catheter into a blood vessel and injecting a substance to block blood flow to the cavity of the lung where the fungus ball is located to stop bleeding.

Complications.

If neglected, aspergillosis can lead to complications :

• Systemic infection: The infection can spread rapidly to other parts of the body, such as the brain, heart and kidneys.
• Bleeding : people with aspergillosis can experience severe bleeding in the lungs.