Allergic Inflammation in Aspergillus fumigatus-Induced Fungal Asthma.

Although fungi are pervasive in many environments, few cause disease in humans. Of these, Aspergillus fumigatus is particularly well suited to be a pathogen of the human lung. Its physical and biological characteristics combine to provide an organism that can cause tremendous morbidity and high mortality if left unchecked. Luckily, that is rarely the case. However, repeated exposure to inhaled A. fumigatus spores often results in an immune response that carries significant immunopathology, exacerbating asthma and changing the structure of the lung with chronic impacts to pulmonary function. This review focuses on the current understanding of the mechanisms that are associated with fungal exposure, sensitization, and infection in asthmatics, as well as the function of various inflammatory cells associated with severe asthma with fungal sensitization.