What is Aspergillosis?

Aspergillosis is an infection caused by the fungus Aspergillus. These fungi are very common and can often be found in compost heaps, air vents and airborne dust. The primary cause of aspergillosis is inhaling Aspergillus spores.

Aspergillosis may occur in different forms. A “pulmonary aspergilloma” occurs when aspergillosis develops in the sinuses or the lungs and forms a tangled ball of fungus fibres and blood cells. This kind of aspergillosis usually doesn’t spread to other parts of the body.

Less often, aspergillosis becomes very aggressive and rapidly spreads throughout the lungs and often through the bloodstream to the brain, the heart, the liver and the kidneys. This is called “invasive aspergillosis” and occurs most often in people with a weakened immune system.