Pathogenesis of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis in Transplant Recipients

AbstractPurpose of ReviewTransplant patients are at high risk for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, and the associated mortality is high. The purpose of this study is to review the pathogenesis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in transplant patients.Recent FindingsThe pathogenesis of aspergillosis is multifactorial and results from a complex interplay between the pathogen and host. It is well recognized thatAspergillus causes IPA in immunocompromised patients. Recent studies have shown thatAspergillus might also cause diseases likely attributed to an unmodulated immune response in certain transplant recipients such as bronchopulmonary aspergillosis or bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome in lung transplant recipients.SummaryThis review focuses on two crucial axes of the damage response framework applicable to aspergillosis: (1) Aspergillus virulence attributes that enable it to survive and proliferate in the host (thermotolerance, stress and hypoxic response, secretion of secondary metabolites) and (2) host response with specific focus on innate immunity and angiogenesis.
Source: Current Fungal Infection Reports - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research