| Medical Dictionary |
A Medical Dictionary of Medical Terminology
|
Aspergillosis is a disease caused by a fungus (or mold) called Aspergillus. The fungus is very common in both indoors and outdoors. Most people breathe in the spores of the fungus every day without being affected. But some people get the disease. It usually occurs in people with lung diseases or weakened immune systems.
There are different kinds of aspergillosis. One kind is allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (also called ABPA). Symptoms of ABPA include wheezing and coughing. ABPA can affect healthy people but it is most common in people with asthma or cystic fibrosis.
Another kind is invasive aspergillosis, which damages tissues in the body. It usually affects the lungs. Sometimes it can also cause infection in other organs and spread throughout the body. It affects people who have immune system problems, such as people who have had a transplant, are taking high doses of steroids, or getting chemotherapy for some cancers.
Your doctor might do a variety of tests to make the diagnosis, including a chest x-ray, CT scan of the lungs, and an examination of tissues for signs of the fungus. Treatment is with antifungal drugs. If you have ABPA, you may also take steroids.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
An allergy is a reaction by your immune system to something that does not bother most other people. People who have allergies often are sensitive to more than one thing. Substances that often cause reactions are:
Normally, your immune system fights germs. It is your body's defense system. In most allergic reactions, however, it is responding to a false alarm. Genes and the environment probably both play a role.
Allergies can cause a variety of symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing, itching, rashes, swelling, or asthma. Allergies can range from minor to severe. Anaphylaxis is a severe reaction that can be life-threatening. Doctors use skin and blood tests to diagnose allergies. Treatments include medicines, allergy shots, and avoiding the substances that cause the reactions.
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disease of the mucus and sweat glands. It affects mostly your lungs, pancreas, liver, intestines, sinuses, and sex organs. CF causes your mucus to be thick and sticky. The mucus clogs the lungs, causing breathing problems and making it easy for bacteria to grow. This can lead to repeated lung infections and lung damage.
The symptoms and severity of CF can vary. Some people have serious problems from birth. Others have a milder version of the disease that doesn't show up until they are teens or young adults. Sometimes you will have few symptoms, but later you may have more symptoms.
CF is diagnosed through various tests, such as gene, blood, and sweat tests. There is no cure for CF, but treatments have improved greatly in recent years. In the past, most deaths from CF were in children and teenagers. Today, with improved treatments, some people who have CF are living into their forties, fifties, or older. Treatments may include chest physical therapy, nutritional and respiratory therapies, medicines, and exercise.
NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
If you have ever had athlete's foot or a yeast infection, you can blame a fungus. A fungus is a primitive organism. Mushrooms, mold and mildew are examples. Fungi live in air, in soil, on plants and in water. Some live in the human body. Only about half of all types of fungi are harmful.
Some fungi reproduce through tiny spores in the air. You can inhale the spores or they can land on you. As a result, fungal infections often start in the lungs or on the skin. You are more likely to get a fungal infection if you have a weakened immune system or take antibiotics.
Fungi can be difficult to kill. For skin and nail infections, you can apply medicine directly to the infected area. Oral antifungal medicines are also available for serious infections.
Molds are fungi that can be found both outdoors and indoors. They grow best in warm, damp and humid conditions. If you have damp or wet spots in your house, you will probably get mold.
Molds can cause health problems. Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions or asthma attacks in sensitive people. Molds can cause fungal infections. In addition, mold exposure may irritate your eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention