Aspergillosis

Aspergillosis is a condition caused by aspergillus mould. There are several different types of aspergillosis. Most affect the lungs and cause breathing difficulties.

How you get aspergillosis

Aspergillosis is usually caused by inhaling tiny bits of mould. The mould is found in lots of places, including:

• soil, compost and rotting leaves
• plants, trees and crops
• dust
• damp buildings
• air conditioning systems

You can't catch aspergillosis from someone else or from animals.

Aspergillosis is rare in healthy people

You're usually only at risk of aspergillosis if you have:

• a lung condition – such as asthma, cystic fibrosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• a weakened immune system – for example, if you have had an organ transplant or are having chemotherapy
• had tuberculosis (TB) in the past

Symptoms of aspergillosis

Symptoms of aspergillosis include:

• shortness of breath
• a cough – you may cough up blood or lumps of mucus
• wheezing (a whistling sound when breathing)
• a high temperature of 38C or above
• weight loss

If you already have a lung condition, your existing symptoms may get worse.

See a GP if you have:

• a cough for more than 3 weeks
• a lung condition that's getting worse or harder to control with your usual treatment
• a weakened immune system and symptoms of aspergillosis

Get an urgent GP appointment if you cough up blood. Call 111 if you can't see your GP.

What happens at your appointment

Your GP will check for an obvious cause of your symptoms, like a chest infection or asthma.

If they're not sure what the problem is, they may refer you to a specialist for tests such as:

• X-rays and scans
• blood tests or tests on a sample of mucus
• allergy tests
• a bronchoscopy – where a thin, flexible tube with a camera at the end is used to look in your lungs

Treatment for aspergillosis depends on the type

Treatment usually helps control the symptoms. If it isn't treated or well controlled, there's a risk it could damage your lungs.

You can't always prevent aspergillosis

It's almost impossible to completely avoid aspergillus mould.

But there are things you can do to reduce your risk of aspergillosis if you have a lung condition or weakened immune system.