Aspergillosis

doi:10.1056/NEJMra0808853

Volume 360:1870-1884		April 30, 2009		Number 18

Aspergillosis

Brahm H. Segal, M.D.

Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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PubMed Citation

Filamentous fungi (molds) are ancient lineages that have existedfor approximately 1 billion years¹ and thrive in soil and decomposingvegetation independent of an animal host. Thus, the evolutionfrom primitive immune systems that rely principally on antimicrobialpeptides, such as those in insects,² to the complex immune systemin mammals occurred with continued exposure to fungi. The immunesystem, therefore, must not only recognize inhaled molds andcontrol their growth but also restrain injurious inflammationand allergy.

We regularly inhale the spores of aspergillus species, yet fungaldisease is uncommon. Aspergillus-related diseases are associatedwith a spectrum of disorders . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Host Defense against Aspergillus

Innate Immunity

Cellular Immunity

Spectrum of Human Disease in Aspergillosis

Invasive Aspergillosis

Epidemiology

Clinical Manifestations and Diagnosis

Therapy for Invasive Aspergillosis

Prevention of Invasive Aspergillosis

Future Perspectives

Source Information

From the Departments of Medicine and Immunology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY.

Address reprint requests to Dr. Segal at the Departments of Medicine and Immunology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm and Carlton Sts., Buffalo, NY 14263, or at brahm.segal@roswellpark.org.