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Aspergillosis
Definition Aspergillosis is an infection, a growth, or an allergic response caused by the Aspergillus fungus.
Pictures & Images
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Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
Aspergillosis is caused by a fungus (Aspergillus), which is commonly found growing on dead leaves, stored grain, compost piles, or in other decaying vegetation.
It causes illness in three ways: as an allergic reaction in people with asthma (Pulmonary aspergillosis - allergic bronchopulmonary type); as a colonization and growth in an old healed lung cavity from previous disease (such as tuberculosis or lung abscess) where it produces a fungus ball called aspergilloma; and as an invasive infection with pneumonia that is spread to other parts of the body by the bloodstream (Pulmonary aspergillosis - invasive type).
The invasive infection can affect the eye, causing blindness, and any other organ of the body, but especially the heart, lungs, brain, and kidneys. The third form occurs almost exclusively in people who are immunosuppressed because of cancer, AIDS, leukemia, organ transplants, high doses of corticosteroid drugs, chemotherapy, or other diseases that reduce the number of normal white blood cells.
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- Neuropathy
- Breast Cancer
- Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
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• Definition
• Aspergillosis Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
• Aspergillosis Symptoms & Signs
• Aspergillosis Prevention
• Aspergillosis Diagnosis & Tests
• Aspergillosis Treatment
• Aspergillosis Prognosis
• Aspergillosis Complications
• Calling Your Health Care Provider
• Pictures & Images
Topics that might be of interest to you Diseases & Conditions
• AIDS
• Allergies
• Aspiration Pneumonia
• Asthma
• Cancer
• Endocarditis
• Immunodeficiency Disorders
• Meningitis
• Pneumonia
• Pulmonary Aspergilloma (Mycetoma)
• Pulmonary Aspergillosis - Allergic Bronchopulmonary Type
• Pulmonary Aspergillosis - Invasive Type
• Pulmonary Tuberculosis
• Sinusitis
Tests & Exams
• Aspergillosis Precipitin
• Aspergillus Antigen Skin Test
• Biopsy
• Bronchoscopy with Transbronchial Biopsy
• Chest X-Ray
Other Topics
• Allergic Reactions
• Bleeding
• Blindness
• Bone Pain or Tenderness
• Chemotherapy
• Cough
• Coughing Up Blood
• Fever
• Headache
• Intravenous
• Invasive
• Surgical Excision
• Symptomatic
• Urine - Bloody
• Urine Output - Decreased
• Weight Loss - Unintentional
• Wheezing
Review Date : 8/14/2002
Reviewed By : Donna R. Cooper, MD, MPH. Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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