Respiratory Infections and Aspergillosis: Reducing Your Risk

Person reducing respiratory infection risk through ventilation, handwashing, vaccination and mask use — Vaccination, fresh air, handwashing and masks in higher-risk situations provide complementary layers of protection against respiratory infections.

Respiratory infections are difficult to avoid completely, but a combination of vaccination, cleaner air, good hygiene and early action can reduce both your risk of infection and the chance of becoming seriously unwell.

For people living with aspergillosis, ABPA, bronchiectasis, asthma or another chronic lung condition, an ordinary cold or viral infection can sometimes cause a significant worsening of respiratory symptoms. This guide explains how to reduce your risk without withdrawing unnecessarily from everyday life—and what to do if you become unwell.

Why can respiratory infections matter more when you have aspergillosis?

Respiratory infections include the common cold, influenza (flu), COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and bacterial chest infections. Most are not caused by Aspergillus, but they can still affect an existing fungal lung condition.

An infection may:

increase coughing, wheezing and breathlessness;
increase mucus production or make mucus thicker and harder to clear;
trigger an asthma or ABPA flare;
cause an exacerbation of bronchiectasis or COPD;
allow a secondary bacterial chest infection to develop;
temporarily reduce exercise tolerance and oxygen levels;
make recovery slower in someone whose lungs are already damaged.

Some people are also more vulnerable because they take corticosteroids or other treatments that affect the immune response. The degree of risk varies considerably, so ask your clinical team if you are unsure how vulnerable you are.

Use several layers of protection

No single precaution can prevent every infection. Protection is usually strongest when several practical measures are used together, particularly when respiratory viruses are circulating widely or someone close to you is unwell.

1. Keep vaccinations up to date

Vaccination may not prevent every infection, but it can substantially reduce the risk of severe illness, hospital admission and complications.

Depending on your age, medical history, treatment and current NHS eligibility, vaccinations to discuss with your GP or respiratory team may include:

the annual influenza vaccine;
COVID-19 vaccination when offered;
pneumococcal vaccination;
RSV vaccination if you are in an eligible group.

People with chronic respiratory conditions are commonly eligible for influenza and pneumococcal vaccination. Eligibility for COVID-19 and RSV vaccination can change between programmes, so check the current NHS guidance rather than relying on an old list.

If you have previously reacted to a vaccine or take medication that affects your immune system, discuss this with a healthcare professional. Do not assume that vaccination is unsuitable without asking.

2. Pay attention to the air you share

Respiratory viruses can spread through particles released when an infected person breathes, talks, coughs or sneezes. Risk is generally higher during prolonged close contact in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated places.

Useful measures include:

opening windows or doors to bring in fresh air when practical;
meeting outdoors or choosing a well-ventilated venue;
avoiding particularly crowded indoor settings when infection levels are high;
shortening the time spent in a poorly ventilated space;
asking visitors to postpone their visit if they are unwell.

Ventilation does not have to mean making the home uncomfortably cold. Even opening a window for a short period can help replace contaminated indoor air. Take particular care during cold weather if you are sensitive to low temperatures.

3. Consider a well-fitting mask in higher-risk situations

A well-fitting mask can reduce the spread of respiratory particles from someone who is infected and may also provide the wearer with some protection.

You might consider wearing one:

in a crowded or poorly ventilated indoor space;
on busy public transport;
in a healthcare waiting area;
when respiratory infections are particularly widespread;
when you need to be near someone who is unwell.

A mask should fit closely around the nose, cheeks and chin. Higher-filtration masks generally provide more protection when they fit well, but the best option is one that you can wear safely and comfortably. Some people with severe breathlessness may need individual advice.

4. Clean your hands at useful times

Handwashing remains helpful, particularly after blowing your nose, coughing, using public transport or returning from a public place, and before preparing food or touching your face.

Wash with soap and water for about 20 seconds.
Use alcohol-based hand sanitiser when washing facilities are unavailable.
Cough or sneeze into a tissue and dispose of it promptly.
Avoid sharing drinking vessels with someone who is unwell.
Clean frequently touched surfaces if there is an infection in the household.

Hands and surfaces matter, but they are only part of prevention. For infections that spread through the air, ventilation and reducing close exposure are also important.

5. Support your usual lung health

Keeping your underlying lung condition as stable as possible may help you cope better if you catch an infection.

Take prescribed inhalers, antifungals and other medicines as directed.
Continue your usual airway-clearance exercises if you have been taught them.
Keep nebulisers and airway-clearance equipment clean according to the manufacturer’s and clinical team’s instructions.
Stay physically active within your abilities.
Avoid smoking and second-hand smoke.
Ask for a written self-management or exacerbation plan if you experience recurrent flare-ups.

What if someone in your household becomes unwell?

Complete isolation is not always practical, but temporary precautions can reduce the chance of infection spreading:

increase ventilation in shared rooms;
avoid prolonged close face-to-face contact where possible;
sleep separately for a few nights if this is practical and appropriate;
do not share towels, cups or cutlery before they have been washed;
consider masks in shared areas;
clean frequently touched surfaces;
ask the unwell person to cover coughs and dispose of tissues promptly.

The person who is unwell should avoid visiting someone who is especially vulnerable until they are feeling better and no longer have a high temperature.

If you develop symptoms

Symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat and mild cough are often caused by a virus and may improve with rest, fluids and time. However, people with existing lung disease should watch for changes from their normal respiratory symptoms.

Possible signs of a chest infection or respiratory exacerbation include:

increasing breathlessness or wheeze;
coughing more than usual;
producing more sputum;
a change in sputum colour, thickness or smell;
fever, chills or feeling markedly unwell;
chest discomfort;
unusual tiredness or reduced ability to carry out normal activities;
oxygen readings that are persistently below your normal level, if you have been advised to monitor them.

These changes do not prove that an infection is bacterial, and they do not necessarily mean that your aspergillosis has worsened. Viral infection, bacterial infection, airway inflammation and an exacerbation of an existing condition can produce overlapping symptoms. Medical assessment may be needed to distinguish between them.

Follow your personal treatment plan

If you have bronchiectasis, COPD, asthma or recurrent chest infections, your clinical team may have given you a written action plan or prescribed rescue medication.

Follow the plan you have been given.
If advised, collect a sputum sample before starting antibiotics—but do not delay urgent treatment solely because you cannot produce a sample.
Only start standby antibiotics or corticosteroids according to your agreed plan.
Tell your GP or respiratory team when you use a rescue pack, particularly if you are not improving.

Do not use leftover antibiotics or another person’s medicine. Antibiotics do not treat viral infections, and the correct antibiotic for someone with bronchiectasis may depend on previous sputum results.

If you take long-term corticosteroids or have adrenal insufficiency, follow your steroid sick-day rules and seek advice if you cannot keep medication down. Do not abruptly stop prescribed corticosteroids.

When should I seek medical advice?

Contact your GP, respiratory team or NHS 111 promptly if:

your breathing, cough or sputum is clearly worsening;
you have a high temperature or feel significantly more unwell than with an ordinary cold;
your symptoms are not beginning to improve;
you are needing your reliever inhaler more frequently than usual;
your oxygen level is persistently below the range agreed with your clinical team;
you cough up blood, even if the amount is small;
you are taking antibiotics but continue to deteriorate or are not improving as expected;
you are immunosuppressed and develop symptoms of an infection.

Seeking advice early can be particularly important if you have severe bronchiectasis, reduced lung function, previous hospital admissions or a history of rapidly worsening infections.

Seek emergency help

Call 999 or go to A&E if you:

are severely breathless, gasping or unable to speak in complete sentences;
develop blue, grey or unusually pale lips or skin;
become confused, very drowsy or difficult to wake;
have severe or persistent chest pain;
cough up more than a few streaks or spots of blood;
have a sudden, substantial fall in oxygen level accompanied by worsening symptoms.

Finding a sensible balance

It is not possible—or desirable—to avoid all contact with other people. Social contact, activity and time outside the home are important for physical and emotional health.

The aim is to use proportionate precautions at times and in places where they are most useful. For example, you might choose good ventilation and a mask for a crowded winter journey while continuing to meet friends outdoors or in a spacious, well-ventilated room.

Your choices may vary according to:

how stable your lung condition is;
whether you are taking immune-suppressing treatment;
how much respiratory infection is circulating locally;
whether someone nearby has symptoms;
the importance of the activity to you.

Rather than trying to remove every risk, concentrate on the precautions that provide meaningful protection with the least disruption to your life.

Key points

Common respiratory infections are not the same as aspergillosis, but they can worsen an existing lung condition.
Vaccination, ventilation, masks in selected situations and good hand hygiene provide complementary layers of protection.
Know what is normal for your cough, sputum, breathing and oxygen level.
Ask for a personalised exacerbation plan if you experience recurrent chest infections.
Use antibiotics or corticosteroids only as prescribed or directed in that plan.
Seek advice early if your respiratory symptoms are significantly worsening.

Further information

This information is intended as general guidance and does not replace advice from your own healthcare team. Vaccination programmes and eligibility criteria can change, so check current NHS information.

Last reviewed: August 2026