Fungal Sensitization and Human Allergic Disease
Scout Treadwell1, Maxwell Green1, Geetha Gowda1
1Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Avenue New, Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.
Purpose Of The Review:
Fungal sensitizations have been associated with hypersensitivity reactions with variable levels of evidence available to link types of fungi with human disease. We conducted systematic reviews of the literature to identify the strength of evidence linking lesser-studied fungi for which there are commercially available extracts to identify populations in which they were useful in clinical practice.
Recent Findings:
Excluding five fungi for which hundreds of articles were identified, there are 54 articles on the remaining fungi with clinical data. For 12 of the fungi, the prevalence of fungal sensitization varies in different hypersensitivity disorders due to factors related to geographic areas, age, and other underlying medical conditions. There were no studies linking seven genera to human disease. Most of the commercially available fungal extracts are uncommonly associated with hypersensitivity reactions in humans. Specific extracts may be useful in particular disease states such as allergic fungal sinusitis or allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis, or when routine testing fails to identify a cause of uncontrolled disease, such as in asthma.
Insights
This review examines the clinical evidence for lesser-known fungi in hypersensitivity reactions. While most commercially available fungal extracts are rarely linked to human disease, some show promise for specific allergic conditions.
Area of Science:
- Mycology
- Immunology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Fungal sensitizations are linked to hypersensitivity reactions, but evidence varies for different fungi.
- Lesser-studied fungi with commercial extracts require investigation for clinical utility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the literature on lesser-studied fungi and their association with human hypersensitivity disorders.
- To identify the strength of evidence linking specific fungal sensitizations to clinical conditions.
- To determine the populations and diseases where these fungi may be clinically relevant.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of scientific articles.
- Analysis of clinical data on fungal sensitization prevalence.
- Exclusion of fungi with extensive existing research.
Main Results:
- 54 articles provided clinical data for the studied fungi.
- Fungal sensitization prevalence varied among 12 fungi due to geographic, age, and medical factors.
- Seven fungal genera lacked studies linking them to human disease.
- Most commercial fungal extracts showed uncommon associations with hypersensitivity reactions.
- Specific extracts may benefit allergic fungal sinusitis, allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis, or severe asthma.
Conclusions:
- The clinical significance of many fungal sensitizations remains poorly defined.
- Targeted use of specific fungal extracts may be beneficial in select hypersensitivity disorders.
- Further research is needed to clarify the role of understudied fungi in allergic diseases.
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