Symptoms of Aspergillosis

Symptoms Aspergillus

Symptoms of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) are similar to asthma.

The different types of aspergillosis can cause different symptoms.1

The symptoms of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) are similar to asthma symptoms, including:

  • Wheezing
  • Shortness of breath
  • Cough
  • Fever (in rare cases)

Symptoms of allergic Aspergillus sinusitis2 include:

  • Stuffiness
  • Runny nose
  • Headache
  • Reduced ability to smell

Symptoms of an aspergilloma (“fungus ball”)3 include:

  • Cough
  • Coughing up blood
  • Shortness of breath

Symptoms of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis4,5 include:

  • Weight loss
  • Cough
  • Coughing up blood
  • Fatigue
  • Shortness of breath
Fever is a common symptom of invasive aspergillosis.

Fever is a common symptom of invasive aspergillosis.

Invasive aspergillosis1 usually occurs in people who are already sick from other medical conditions, so it can be difficult to know which symptoms are related to an Aspergillus infection. However, the symptoms of invasive aspergillosis in the lungs include:

  • Fever
  • Chest pain
  • Cough
  • Coughing up blood
  • Shortness of breath
  • Other symptoms can develop if the infection spreads from the lungs to other parts of the body.

Contact your healthcare provider if you have symptoms that you think are related to any form of aspergillosis.

References
  1. Barnes PD, Marr KA. Aspergillosis: spectrum of disease, diagnosis, and treatmentexternal icon. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2006 Sep;20(3):545-61, vi.
  2. Singh N, Bhalodiya NH. Allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS)–earlier diagnosis and managementexternal icon. J Laryngol Otol. 2005 Nov;119(11):875-81.
  3. Lee SH, Lee BJ, Jung DY, Kim JH, Sohn DS, Shin JW, et al. Clinical manifestations and treatment outcomes of pulmonary aspergillomaexternal icon. Korean J Intern Med. 2004 Mar;19(1):38-42.
  4. Denning DW, Riniotis K, Dobrashian R, Sambatakou H. Chronic cavitary and fibrosing pulmonary and pleural aspergillosis: case series, proposed nomenclature change, and reviewexternal icon. Clin Infect Dis. 2003 Oct 1;37 Suppl 3:S265-80.
  5. Schweer KE, Bangard C, Hekmat K, Cornely OA. Chronic pulmonary aspergillosisexternal icon. Mycoses. 2014 May;57(5):257-70.