Treatment:

The goal of therapy is to treat any immune problems and to control the infection with antifungal medications. In the past, antifungal therapy involved a potentially harmful antibiotic called amphotericin B. Several less toxic drugs have been introduced that work against aspergillus.

If white blood cell counts are too low, the patient usually must reduce or stop immunosuppressive drug therapy and begin treatment with granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (GCSF). This treatment stimulates the body's production of infection-fighting white blood cells.

Expectations (prognosis):

Patients with the invasive form of pulmonary aspergillosis are usually critically ill. The disease is difficult to cure. Talk to your health care provider about your individual case.

Complications:

This infection can damage multiple organs, eventually causing multi-organ system failure.

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if you develop symptoms of this disorder. If you know you have a low white blood cell count and have fevers or symptoms of a respiratory infection, you should immediately tell your health care provider. An early diagnosis may improve the chance of a good outcome.