Role of Aspergillus and Candida species in allergic bronchopulmonary mycoses. A comparative study

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and allergic bronchopulmonary candidiasis (ABPC) has been diagnosed in 20 and 13 cases respectively with one case in common, on the basis of laboratory and clinical findings. Most of the ABPA cases (60%) diagnosed had an early onset of respiratory symptoms, i.e. below the age of 30 years, while most of ABPC cases (69%) had a late onset of respiratory symptoms, i.e. after the age of 30 years. The precipitin bands in ABPA and ABPC were R-type and H-type, respectively. Apparently, ABPA and ABPC are independent of one another in origin as suggested by specific precipitins and dual skin reaction. In ABPA, A. fumigatus appears to be the primary causal organism although the contributory role of other species of Aspergillus, which include A. flavus, A. nidulans, A. terreus and A. niger, is evident from the present study. It is concluded that allergic bronchopulmonary mycoses (ABPM) could be caused by several fungal species independently or jointly belonging to the genera Asperigillus and Candida.