m3 Aspergillus fumigatus

Allergens within Molds and other Microorganisms

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  • Latin name: Aspergillus fumigatus
  • Source material: Spores and mycelium
In comparison with other acroallergens, the concentration of spores in the air is low though there may be high localized counts.

Allergen Exposure

A. fumigatus is found in soils, leaf and plant litter, decaying vegetables and roots, bird droppings, tobacco, stored sweet potatoes. In comparison with other acroallergens, the concentration of spores in the air is low though there may be high localized counts.

Clinical Experience

Inhalation of conidia and mycelium of A. fumigatus, can lead to several diseases, the severity of which depends on the host's immune response of which allergic asthma, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis involve specific IgE antibodies. Specific IgE antibody against A. fumigatus was found in 81.8% of cases with confirmed clinical hypersensitivity (1). Other diseases such as extrinsic allergic alveolitis (hypersensitivity pneumonitis) such as Farmer's Lung, invasive aspergillosis, and aspergilloma are also linked to this mold (2).
 
Review
The species A. fumigatus was already well-described and illustrated in the 1850s by Fresenius, who worked with lung material from birds dying of aspergillosis. It is a thermotolerant fungus with worldwide distribution. Due to a rather wide temperature range for good growth it is not limited to habitats with permanently high temperatures, even though these are obviously very frequently reported. It is found in soils, leaf and plant litter, decaying vegetables and roots, bird droppings, tobacco, stored sweet potatoes. In comparison with other acroallergens, the concentration of spores in the air is low though there may be high localized counts.
 
Inhalation of conidia and mycelium of A. fumigatus, can lead to several diseases, the severity of which depends on the host's immune response of which allergic asthma, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis involve specific IgE antibodies. Specific IgE antibody against A. fumigatus was found in 81.8% of cases with confirmed clinical hypersensitivity (1). Other diseases such as extrinsic allergic alveolitis (hypersensitivity pneumonitis) such as Farmer's Lung, invasive aspergillosis, and aspergilloma are also linked to this mold (2).
 
Longbottom and coworkers (1986-89) have carried out extensive work on the allergens and antigens and have identified several allergenic components. Recent work was reviewed by Samuelssen et al. (3). A. fumigatus and niger appear to be allergenically distinct from the versicolor, nidulus, glaucus groups (4). The extracts of A. fumigatus are toxic (5).

References:

    1. Virchow C, Roth A,  Debeli´c M, Möller E. Radioallergosorbent-test (RAST) bei Schimmelpilzsporensensibilisierung. Praxder Pneum 1975;29:555-67.
    2. Gravesen S. Fungi as a cause of allergic disease. Allergy 1979;34:135-54.
    3. Samuelsen H, Karlsson-Borgå Å, Paulsen BS, Wold JK, Rolfsen W. Purification of a 20 kD allergen from Aspergillus fumigatus. Allergy 1990;45.
    4. Burge H A. Fungus allergens. Clin Rev Allergy 1985;2:319-29.
    5. Legator MS, Kline G, Sadagopa Ramanujam VM, Cunningham BR, Ward JB, Gad-El Karim MM. Aflatoxin B1 in mould extracts used for desensitization. Lancet; Oct 15, 1983: Letter to Ed.

1992