Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillosis

Etiology/Bacteriology

Taxonomy

Superkingdom = Eukaryota
Kingdom = Fungi
Subkingdom = Dikarya
Phylum = Ascomycota
Subphylum = Pezizomycotina
Class = Eurotiomycetes
Subclass = Eurotiomycetidae
Order = Eurotiales
Family = Aspergillaceae
Genus = Aspergillus
Species = A. fumigatus [1]

Description

Aspergillus fumigatus, a saprophytic fungus, can opportunistically cause a multitude of diseases in humans [2]. A. fumigatus, which primarily lives in soil and decaying vegetation, can be dispersed through the air as asexual spores, known as conidia. Because of this, humans usually get infected with the fungus by inhaling these conidia. In a given day someone inhales an average of 200 A. fumigatus spores [2]. In heathy individuals, the innate immune system kills all of the conidia that the body encounters; however, in immunocompromised individuals A. fumigatus infection is a serious concern.

References

1. UniProt. Taxonomy: Species Aspergillus fumigatus. Available at http://www.uniprot.org/taxonomy/746128.