New Delhi, Dec 2 (NationPress) Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) -- a prevalent fungal infection that leads to 340,000 deaths annually worldwide, can become deadly for about 1 in 3 individuals suffering from lung diseases, according to a study by scholars at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the national capital.
CPA, which arises from exposure to airborne spores of the Aspergillus mould, results in progressive lung scarring over months to years.
This condition is crippling, leading to symptoms such as extreme fatigue, weight loss, breathlessness, and coughing up blood. Although exposure to Aspergillus is generally safe for most, it poses risks to those with existing lung damage.
The research, stemming from a comprehensive global review and published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases, revealed that around 32% of individuals with prior lung damage will succumb within five years if they contract CPA.
Moreover, nearly 15% of patients diagnosed with CPA will pass away within the first year after developing other lung diseases.
AIIMS Delhi researchers Dr. Abinhav Sengupta and Dr. Animesh Ray analyzed mortality rates among 8,778 patients reported in literature from all continents, excluding Antarctica.
The international research, involving experts from the University of Manchester, found that CPA patients with a history of tuberculosis (TB) exhibited a lower overall five-year mortality rate of 25%.
However, they also discovered that patients with CPA are often misdiagnosed as having TB, leading to a lack of treatment with antifungal medications.
Treatment with antifungal drugs or surgical interventions is crucial for alleviating symptoms and decreasing the risk of mortality, the researchers emphasized.
Additionally, individuals over 60 years old, as well as those suffering from interstitial lung disease, current cancer, or lung diseases related to smoking, faced poorer outcomes, according to the team.
