Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis

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Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis
Synonyms	ABPA
Pronounce	N/A
Specialty	N/A
Symptoms	Wheezing, cough, shortness of breath, fever, malaise
Complications	Bronchiectasis, pulmonary fibrosis, respiratory failure
Onset	Usually in adulthood
Duration	Chronic
Types	N/A
Causes	Hypersensitivity to Aspergillus species
Risks	Asthma, cystic fibrosis
Diagnosis	Chest X-ray, CT scan, serum IgE, skin prick test
Differential diagnosis	Asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, eosinophilic pneumonia
Prevention	Avoidance of Aspergillus exposure
Treatment	Corticosteroids, antifungal medications
Medication	Prednisone, itraconazole
Prognosis	Variable, can lead to chronic lung damage if untreated
Frequency	Rare
Deaths	Rare, but can occur due to complications

An immune reaction to aspergillus in patients usually suffering from asthma or cystic fibrosis.

Mucoid impaction of bronchi

Other Names: ABPA; Allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis; Aspergillosis, allergic bronchopulmonary; See More Categories: Fungal infections; Immune System Diseases; Lung Diseases

Pathophysiology

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis is an allergic lung reaction to a type of fungus (Aspergillus fumigatus). Symptoms vary, but may include wheezing, bronchial hyperreactivity, hemoptysis, productive cough, low-grade fever, malaise, and weight loss. It is more common in people who have asthma or cystic fibrosis. The recommended treatment for allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis is itraconazole, a prescription antifungal medication. Oral corticosteroids, like prednisone, may also be helpful. The clinical course of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis is variable. Many people with this condition can be stabilized for long periods when treated. However, only about 50% of patients achieve long-lasting remission and many require recurrent courses of treatment.

Symptoms

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

80%-99% of people have these symptoms

• Abnormal eosinophil morphology
• Asthma
• Cough

30%-79% of people have these symptoms

• Bronchiectasis
• Permanent enlargement of the airways of the lungs
• Cerebral cortical atrophy
• Decrease in size of the outer layer of the brain due to loss of brain cells
• Low-grade fever
• Mild fever
• Weight loss

5%-29% of people have these symptoms

• Abnormal fingernail morphology
• Abnormal fingernails
• Emphysema
• Hemoptysis
• Pulmonary arterial hypertension
• Increased blood pressure in blood vessels of lungs
• Respiratory insufficiency
• Respiratory impairment
• Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
• Abnormality of the immune system
• Immunological abnormality
• Autosomal dominant inheritance

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