Asthma and aspergillosis: Which One causes another

Abstract

The respiratory system of the human body is always under exposure to a great number of fungal spores every day. Asexual spores of Aspergillus are the most frequent type occurring in various environments. Inhalation of these spores can lead to various undesirable effects in the airway. Infection in the form of aspergillosis is one type of harmful effect of inhaled spores, especially in immunocompromised patients, while sensitization is a second type after long-term exposure to Aspergillus spores. In some cases, sensitization can develop into a various types of allergic diseases such as asthma. Otherwise, aspergillosis can be initiated in many asthmatic patients, which make asthma a predisposing factor for aspergillosis. In conclusions: Asthma and aspergillosis have shared responsibility to form each other in reversible relationship.