infections
Aspergillosis
Symptoms of Aspergillosis
A fungus ball in the lungs may cause no symptoms and may be discovered only when a chest x-ray is taken for other reasons. Or it may cause repeated coughing up of blood and, rarely, severe, even fatal bleeding. Aspergillosis of the sinuses causes a feeling of congestion and sometimes pain, discharge, or bleeding from the nose. People may have fever, headache, and a runny nose. Sores may develop over the nose or sinuses, or on the gums or palate. People may also develop a blood clot (thrombosis) in the cavernous sinus (a large vein at the base of the skull). This form is a rapidly invasive infection in the lungs and often causes cough, fever, chest pain, and difficulty breathing. Without treatment, invasive aspergillosis is fatal. Aspergillosis that spreads to other organs makes people very ill. Symptoms include fever, chills, shock, delirium, and blood clots. Kidney failure, liver failure (causing jaundice), and breathing difficulties may develop. This type of infection can be rapidly fatal. 