ASPERGILLUS-FUMIGATUS AND LUNG-DISEASE

The range of clinical presentations of lung diseases associated with Aspergillus spp. is great. The conditions are very frequently misdiagnosed but errors should be avoided if the possibility of a fungal cause is considered and simple immunological tests undertaken. Often no more than skin-prick tests and serum precipitins need to be done. In many cases, fungus is not isolated from the sputum and negative results do not exclude the possibility of A. fumigatus as the causal agent. Treatment often results in marked clinical improvement and there is evidence that suppression of recurrent episodes of bronchopulmonary aspergillosis prevents progressive lung damage. © 1979 The Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine.