ABSTRACT
CONTENTS 22.1 Aspergillus-A Saprophytic Pathogen? .................................................................................. 377 22.2 Aspergillosis-Disease Forms and Defense Lines ................................................................ 378 22.3 Aspergillus fumigatus and Its Pathogenic Relatives ............................................................... 380 22.4 What Makes Aspergillus Virulent? ......................................................................................... 380 22.5 Thermophyly-A Key Feature of Fungal Pathogenicity ........................................................... 381 22.6 Contacting the Host ................................................................................................................. 382 22.7 Sensing the Host ...................................................................................................................... 383 22.8 Feeding from the Host ............................................................................................................ 384 22.9 Damaging and Fighting the Host ............................................................................................ 385 22.10 Special Features ...................................................................................................................... 388 22.11 Sensitizing the Host ................................................................................................................. 388 22.12 Conclusions and Outlook .................................................................................................................. 391 References .......................................................................................................................................... 392
Aspergilli are exceptional pathogens as they are able to harm immunocompromised individuals or to elicit allergic responses. During the last decades, aspergilloses have emerged as a major threat for a certain group of patients in specifi c clinical settings with Aspergillus fumigatus representing the predominant menace. A variety of cellular attributes accompanied by environmental factors contribute to the virulence potential of this fi lamentous fungus, and we are in the initial stage of understanding what renders Aspergillus pathogenic or allergenic under certain circumstances. In this chapter, the forms of disease and its epidemiology are briefl y summarized. Cellular traits that have been characterized to infl uence the pathogenic capabilities of Aspergillus are described, as well as allergenic determinants, with the aim to give an up-to-date overview on the news and views related to the topic of Aspergillus pathogenicity.
