Aspergillosis


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Complications

By Mayo Clinic staff

Depending on the type of infection, aspergillosis can cause a variety of serious complications:

  • Bone destruction and spread of infection. An aspergillus infection in your sinuses can destroy facial bones. It can also spread beyond your sinuses and may be life-threatening if you have a weakened immune system.
  • Bleeding. Both aspergillomas and invasive aspergillosis can cause severe, and sometimes fatal, bleeding in your lungs.
  • Systemic infection. The most serious complication of invasive aspergillosis is the spread of the infection to other parts of your body, especially your brain, heart and kidneys. Invasive aspergillosis spreads rapidly and is often fatal in spite of early treatment.
Preparing for your appointment Risk factors
References
  1. Segal BH. Aspergillosis. New England Journal of Medicine. 2009;360:1870.
  2. Treatment of aspergillosis. Arlington, Va.: Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2008;46:327.
  3. Aspergillosis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/aspergillosis_gi.html. Accessed Jan. 3. 2011.
  4. Aspergillosis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/sec14/ch180/ch180c.html?qt=aspergillosis&alt=sh. Accessed Jan. 3, 2011.
  5. Denning DW. Aspergillosis. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2896200. Accessed Jan. 4, 2011.
  6. Sugar AM. Clinical features and diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 30, 2010.
  7. Sherif R, et al. Pulmonary aspergillosis: Clinical presentation, diagnostic tests, management and complications. Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine. 2010;16:242.
  8. Rosenow EC (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. January 13, 2011.
DS00950 April 29, 2011

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