Causes of Aspergillosis

Aspergillosis as a symptom:

Conditions listing Aspergillosis as a symptom may also be potential underlying causes of Aspergillosis. Our database lists the following as having Aspergillosis as a symptom of that condition:

• AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections

What causes Aspergillosis?

Causes: Aspergillosis: Ubiquitous in the environment. Found in soil, decomposing plant matter, household dust, building materials, ornamental plants, items of food, and water. (Source: excerpt from Aspergillosis: DBMD)

Related information on causes of Aspergillosis:

As with all medical conditions, there may be many causal factors. Further relevant information on causes of Aspergillosis may be found in:

• Risk factors for Aspergillosis
• Contagiousness for Aspergillosis
• Hidden causes of Aspergillosis

Causes of Aspergillosis: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the causes of Aspergillosis.

Aspergillosis: Causes
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Aspergillus is found worldwide, commonly in decaying vegetation, such as fermenting compost piles and damp hay. It's transmitted by inhalation of fungal spores or, in aspergillosis endophthalmitis, by the invasion of spores through a wound or other tissue injury. It's a common laboratory contaminant.

Aspergillus produces clinical infection only in people who become especially vulnerable to it. Such vulnerability can result from excessive or prolonged use of antibiotics, glucocorticoids, or other immunosuppressive agents; from radiation; from such conditions as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, Hodgkin's disease, leu-kemia, azotemia, alcoholism, sarcoidosis, bronchitis, or bronchiectasis; from organ transplants; and, in aspergilloma, from tuberculosis or another cavitary lung disease.

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Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Aspergillosis: Causes
(Handbook of Diseases)

Aspergillus is found worldwide, commonly in fermenting compost piles and damp hay. It’s transmitted by inhalation of fungal spores or, in aspergillosis endophthalmitis, by the invasion of spores through a wound or other tissue injury.

Aspergillus produces infection only in persons who become especially vulnerable to it. Such vulnerability can result from excessive or prolonged use of antibiotics, glucocorticoids, or other immunosuppressants; from radiation; from such conditions as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, Hodgkin’s disease, leukemia, azotemia, alcoholism, sarcoidosis, bronchitis, or bronchiectasis; from organ transplants; and, in aspergilloma, from tuberculosis or another cavitary lung disease.

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Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

Aspergillosis: Aspergillosis - risk factors
(The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult)

• Other than those with otomycosis or allergic bronchopulmonary disease, most patients infected with Aspergillus are immunocompromised in some way. Patients at risk include those with malignancy, solid-organ transplantation, bone marrow transplantation, HIV, and congenital immunodeficiencies.
• Transplantation, solid-organ transplantation

Aspergillosis - pathophysiology

• The most common portal of entry for Aspergillus is the respiratory tract; however, damaged skin or operative wounds, the cornea, and the ear can also serve as sites of entry.
  • The development of disease depends on the interaction between the organism (virulence) and the host, specifically host defense mechanisms.
  • Aspergillus produces toxic metabolites such as elastase, cytotoxins, endotoxins, phospholipases, and various inhibitors of immune function.
  • Aspergillus is an unusual pathogen in immunocompetent patients. The first line of defense in the lungs is the macrophages. Neutrophils are also a key part of the host defense against Aspergillus.
• Conditions that alter the normal immunologic mechanisms predispose to invasive aspergillosis; leukemia (neutropenia), corticosteroids (decreased neutrophil mobilization and macrophage killing), chronic granulomatous disease (decreased oxidative-mediated killing)

Aspergillosis - etiology

Aspergillus sp., most commonly Aspergillus fumigatus

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Source: The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult, 2008