Abstract

CUERVO-MALDONADO, Sonia Isabel; GOMEZ-RINCON, Julio César; RIVAS, Pilar  and  GUEVARA, Freddy Orlando. Aspergillosis update with focus in invasive aspergillosis. Infect. [online]. 2010, vol.14, suppl.2, pp.s131-s144. ISSN 0123-9392.

The genus Aspergillus is ubiquitous in nature and has universal distribution; for this reason contact with this fungus includes immunocompetent and non-immunocompetent hosts. The most common form of acquiring this fungus is through air, and its clinical manifestations and topographic location correspond to the interaction of the fungus and its host's immune capacity. The main clinical manifestation of this fungus is a breathing condition and has a very significant impact on mortality and morbidity, especially in non-immunocompetent patients. Patients with haematological malignancies, heart or lung transplant surgeries, and AIDS are the most susceptible to present tissue and vascular invasion by this fungus in the form of invasive aspergillosis (IA). The IA presents diagnostic difficulties in non-immunocompetent hosts; therefore using non-invasive diagnosis methods for this group of patients offers therapeutic approach guidance. Antifungal drugs such as azoles (voriconazole) and echinocandins (caspofungin), that have improved the AI group results, are available nowadays. This article updates the literature on AI diagnosis and treatment.

Keywords : Invasive Aspergillosis; non-immunecompetent; diagnosis; treatment.

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