Changing patterns of aspergillosis infections.

Aspergillus may cause a wide range of clinical illnesses. In large part, manifestations depend on the status of underlying local and systemic host immunologic responses. Therefore, it is critical to specifically define the different types of aspergillosis. With such distinctions between allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, aspergilloma, and invasive aspergillosis with vasculitis, specific host factors that predispose to the development of each of these entities are becoming recognized. Understanding of such immunologic factors better explains the occurrence of clinical forms which overlap to include more than one type of aspergillosis. In general, the different types of aspergillosis have been increasingly recognized as significant health problems, though in different subpopulations of patients. Advances in knowledge of the immunopathogenesis of aspergillosis raise prospects for more rapid diagnosis as well as for successful prevention or therapy (directed toward both the host and pathogen) of diseases caused by these fungi.