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Article: Diagnosis and treatment of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis
- Article from:
- Mayo Clinic Proceedings
- Article date:
- September 1, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Sep 2001. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Subspecialty Clinics: Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is an underdiagnosed pulmonary disorder in asthmatic patients and patients with cystic fibrosis. Its clinical and diagnostic manifestations arise from an allergic response to multiple antigens expressed by fungi, most commonly Aspergillus fumigatus, colonizing the bronchial mucus. The clinical course is one of recurrent exacerbations characterized by chest infiltrates evident on chest x-ray films and associated with cough, wheeze, and sputum production that usually respond to oral corticosteroid treatment. Specific immunologic and radiologic markers of disease include elevation of the ...