What We Provide
Maybe you or a loved one has just received a diagnosis of aspergillosis and you’re not sure where to start. Or maybe you need to share information about your condition with your doctor, carer, housing association or benefits assessor. This website is here to provide patients and carers with everything you need to know about aspergillosis. We also provide a newsletter with monthly updates.
About us
This website is edited and maintained by the NHS National Aspergillosis Centre (NAC) CARES team.
The National Aspergillosis Centre is an NHS highly specialised commissioned service that specialises in the diagnosis and management of chronic aspergillosis, a serious infection affecting mostly the lungs caused by pathogen species of the fungus Aspergillus – mostly A. fumigatus but also several other species. NAC accepts referrals and requests for advice and guidance from all over the UK.
We run a Facebook support group and weekly Zoom meetings which provide a great opportunity to chat with other patients, carers and NAC staff.
This website can be used to check whether any prescription drugs you may be taking will interact with your antifungal medication.
The blog area has posts on a variety of topics including information on living with aspergillosis, lifestyle & coping skills and research news.
What is Aspergillosis?
Aspergillosis is a group of conditions caused by Aspergillus, a species of mould that is found in lots of places all over the world. Most of these moulds are harmless. However, some can cause a variety of diseases ranging from allergic reactions to life-threatening conditions, or both.
Who is affected?
Aspergillosis rarely develops in healthy individuals. Most people breathe in theses spores every day without any issues.
Transmission
You cannot catch aspergillosis from another person or from animals.
There are 3 forms of Aspergillosis:
Chronic Infections
- Chronic pulmonary Aspergillosis (CPA)
- Keratitis
- Otomycosis
- Onychomycosis
- Saprophytic Sinusitis
- Symptoms
Allergic
- Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis (ABPA)
- Severe Asthma with Fungal sensitivity (SAFS)
- Asthma Associated with Fungal Sensitivity (AAFS)
- Allergic Fungal Sinusitis (AFS)
Acute
Acute infections such as Invasive aspergillosis are life-threatening and occur in people with weakened immune systems. Rarely, someone with a normal immune system can get Aspergillus Pneumonia.
The clinical spectrum of pulmonary aspergillosis, Kosmidis & Denning, Thorax 70 (3)
A-Z of Aspergillosis
The Aspergillosis Trust has compiled an A-Z of everything you might need to know if you have a diagnosis of aspergillosis. Written by patients for patients, this list has lots of useful tips and information for living with the disease.
News & Updates
HEPA filters & heat to reduce exposure to allergens
Patients with forms of aspergillosis like ABPA can be highly allergic to fungal and many other…
How the UK evaluates new drugs for use in the NHS
The UK evaluates expensive drugs for cost-effectiveness primarily through the National Institute…
ABPA & CPA: Patient priorities
We have launched a new section that lists the commonest symptoms reported by our patient groups and…
Health Notice
The Aspergillosis Website can be a very useful resource, but of course it cannot replace the vitally important relationship each patient has with their doctor. Nothing mentioned in this website should be taken as medical advice.
Support us
FIT funding enables the National Aspergillosis Centre to host large Facebook groups, such as the National Aspergillosis Centre Support (UK) group and also groups that support their research into Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis (CPA) and Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis (ABPA). This patient participation and involvement is vital for NAC research.
