Aspergillus species infection in respiratory diseases

ABSTRACT

This study had been carried on 100 patients with various broncho-pulmonary diseases, in addition to 40 apparently healthy controls. Direct microscopic examination of sputum and sputum culture for Aspergillus on sabouraud's dextrose agar and brain heart infusion agar were performed repeatedly. The mycological examination of sputum by direct microscopy showed that 10% of the studied cases were suggestive for pulmonary Aspergillosis. By culture, Aspergillus was isolated in 28% of cases The isolated Aspergillus species were in order of Frequency A. niger [15%], A. fumigatus [7%], A. fumigatusus [2%] and a combination of A. niger and A. fumigatus in [4%] of the cases. It was found that males were more susceptible to Aspergillus infection than females. Thus, repeated demonstration of the same fungus in culture from successive sputum samples are in favour for the diagnosis of pulmonary A. spergillosis