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Pulmonary aspergillosis - invasive

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Definition:

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is an infection of the lungs caused by a fungus. Usually, only people with weakened immune systems become sick from this type of infection.

Alternative Names:

Aspergillosis - acute invasive

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Aspergillosis is caused by the fungus aspergillus, which is commonly found on dead leaves, bird droppings, and compost piles.

It can cause an allergic reaction in people with asthma, or a fungus ball (aspergilloma) in an area of previous disease such as tuberculosis or lung abscess .

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis occurs when the infection spreads. This is the most serious type of aspergillosis infection, and is the topic of this article. Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis can affect any organ, particularly the heart, lungs, brain, and kidneys. As the disease gets worse, the nervous system and skin may be affected.

Immunosuppression is one of the main risk factors for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Another risk factor is a very low white blood cell count over a prolonged period. This type of problem is sometimes found in patients who have had chemotherapy or bone marrow transplantation.

• Review Date: 2/27/2006
• Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, CriticalCare & Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Reviewprovided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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