The spectrum of diseases caused by Aspergillus fumigatus

The opportunistic mould Aspergillus is a ubiquitous fungus. Diseases caused by Aspergillus species are most commonly caused by Aspergillus fumigatus. The spectrum of disease caused by Aspergillus is dependent on the health of the immune system. The ranges of illnesses individuals acquire are aspergilloma, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, invasive aspergillosis, sinusitis, otomycosis, ocular infections, CNS infection, osteomyelitis, cutaneous aspergillosis, endocarditis, urinary tract infection.Aspergilloma is the most common clinical presentations of lung infections due to Aspergillus species. Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis is a result of an immune reaction to colonization of Aspergillus fumigatus within the airways of patients. Invasive aspergillosis is generally seen in severely immunocompromised individuals. Aspergillus sinonasal infections may or may not be invasive and can follow a fulminant or an indolent course. Otomycosis has typically been described as fungal infection of the external auditory canal. Aspergillus endophthalmitis may occur by several mechanisms, including direct inoculation by trauma after surgical procedures or by hematogenous spread. Central nervous system (CNS) aspergillosis is a rare and uniformly fatal complication of disseminated disease, involving the cerebral hemispheres and cerebellum. The mechanism for Aspergillus bone infections is by direct extension, traumatic injury, inoculation by a surgical intervention, hematogenous spread and injection drug abusers. Primary cutaneous disease is a rare disease caused by Aspergillus fumigatus. Aspergillus species have been reported as a cause of both native and prosthetic valve endocarditis. Aspergillosis of urinary tract may occur by three ways namely, by ascending infection from the lower tract, from haematogenous dissemination or due to Aspergillus cast in renal pelvis.