Pulmonary aspergillosis - invasive
Definition
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is an infection of the lungs caused by a fungus.
See also: Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis
Alternative Names
Aspergillosis - acute invasiveCauses
Aspergillosis is caused by the fungus aspergillus, which is commonly found in nature but only rarely causes illness in people.
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is the most serious type of aspergillosis infection. It can affect any organ, particularly the heart, lungs, brain, and kidneys.
People with a weakened immune system (for example, from chemotherapy or HIV) are most likely to develop this kind of infection.
The most common type of immune system problem that causes this infection is a very low white blood cell count over a long period. People who have had chemotherapy or a bone marrow transplant sometimes have this type of problem.
References
Goldman, L.Cecil's Textbook of Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders; 2007.
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