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Aspergillus in Children and Young People with Cystic Fibrosis: A Narrative Review

Emily Chesshyre1,2, Eva Wooding1,2, Emily Sey1

  • 1MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK.

Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 26, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Cystic fibrosis (CF) affects many children, often leading to lung infections. This review examines the impact of Aspergillus infections in children with CF, highlighting knowledge gaps in diagnosis and treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a severe inherited disorder impacting over half a million children globally.
  • Airway infections and inflammation leading to progressive lung function decline are hallmarks of CF.
  • Aspergillus colonization is a known complication in CF patients, manifesting as various disease phenotypes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of Aspergillus's impact on the airways of children and young people with CF.
  • To highlight the lack of evidence-based diagnostic and treatment guidelines for Aspergillus infections in pediatric CF patients.

Main Methods:

  • This study is a narrative review.
  • It synthesizes existing literature on Aspergillus infections in pediatric CF patients.

Main Results:

  • Aspergillus colonization and infection present diverse phenotypes in CF, including bronchitis, sensitization, and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA).
  • Current CF management primarily focuses on bacterial infections, with less understanding of Aspergillus's role in childhood.

Conclusions:

  • There is a significant knowledge gap regarding the diagnosis and management of Aspergillus infections in children with CF.
  • Further research is needed to develop evidence-based guidelines for addressing Aspergillus-related complications in this population.

Keywords:
AspergillusCFTRallergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosiscystic fibrosispediatrics

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