allergic

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a condition characterised by an exaggerated response of the system to the fungus Aspergillus including Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus versicolor, and Aspergillus terrus .It occurs most often in people with asthma or . Aspergillus spores are ubiquitous in soil and are commonly found in the sputum of healthy individuals. A. fumigatus is responsible for a of lung diseases known as aspergilloses.

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Symptoms — what it feels like

·, coughing, shortness of breath and exercise intolerance.

Causes — why it happens

·Aspergillus exposure.

How it's found

·Chest X-rays, CT scans, blood tests, immunological tests, and sputum cultures.

Prevention

· and antifungal medications.

Complications

·Asthma exacerbations, aspergilloma, aspergillosis, cavitation, local emphysema, chronic or recurrent atelectasis, and honeycomb .

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Asthma COPD Pneumonia Tuberculosis Lung cancer Pulmonary fibrosis Sleep apnea Cystic fibrosis Bronchitis Influenza Pulmonary embolism Silicosis

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Plain-language summary adapted from Wikipedia. Not medical advice.