A

David

Darling

fungal disease

Aspergillus, the mold (a type of fungus) that causes aspergillosis, is very common both indoors and outdoors, so most people breathe in fungal spores every day.

Figure 1. Aspergillus, the mold (a type of fungus) that causes aspergillosis, is common both indoors and outdoors, so most people breathe in fungal spores every day. It's probably impossible to completely avoid breathing in some Aspergillus spores. For people with healthy immune systems, breathing in Aspergillus isn't harmful. However, for people who have weakened immune systems, breathing in Aspergillus spores can cause an infection in the lungs or sinuses which can spread to other parts of the body.


A fungal disease is a disease caused by a fungus. Fungal disease, apart from common by skin and nail ailments such as athlete's foot, tinea cruris. and ringworm, develop especially in people with disorders of immunity or diabetes and those taking certain drugs (steroids, immunosuppressants, antibiotics). Thrush is common in the mouth and vagina but rarely causes systemic disease.

 

Specific fungal diseases occur in some areas (e.g., histoplasmosis, blastomycosis) while aspergillosis (Figure 1) often complicates chronic lung disease. In addition, numerous fungi in the environment lead to forms of allergy and lung disease.