Common fungal infection may prove deadly in lung disease patients

Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) – a common fungal infection that claims 340,000 lives every year worldwide, can turn lethal for about 1 in three people with lung diseases, finds a study by researchers at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the national capital.

CPA, caused by exposure to airborne spores of the mould Aspergillus, causes gradual scarring of the lungs for months and years. It is a debilitating condition that causes severe tiredness, weight loss, breathlessness, and coughing up blood. While exposure to Aspergillus is harmless to most people, it may affect those with lung damage.