ASPERGILLOSIS

Course overview

ASPERGILLOSIS IS A SPECTRUM OF INFECTIONS CAUSED BY FUNGI FROM THE ASPERGILLUS GENUS. THE SPECIES MOST INVOLVED INCLUDE A. FUMIGATUS, A. TERREUS, A. FLAVUS, AND A. NIGER. CLINICAL SYNDROMES DEPEND ON THE HOST'S IMMUNE STATUS, WITH INVASIVE SYNDROMES PREDOMINANTLY AFFECTING IMMUNODEFICIENT INDIVIDUALS. PULMONARY ASPERGILLOSIS AND RHINOSINUSITIS ARE THE MOST PROMINENT EXAMPLES OF INVASIVE DISEASES. OTHER MORE INDOLENT FORMS, SUCH AS CHRONIC PULMONARY ASPERGILLOSIS (CPA), ASPERGILLOMA, AND ALLERGIC BRONCHOPULMONARY ASPERGILLOSIS (ABPA), OFTEN OCCUR IN PATIENTS WITH UNDERLYING LUNG DISEASE. FINALLY, CUTANEOUS ASPERGILLOSIS IS OFTEN SEEN WHEN WOUNDS IN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PATIENTS ARE INOCULATED WITH ASPERGILLUS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF ASPERGILLOSIS, WHICH VARIES SIGNIFICANTLY DEPENDING ON THE CLINICAL SYNDROME, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS WITH THIS SPECTRUM OF CONDITIONS.