Post-tuberculosis chronic pulmonary aspergillosis: An emerging public health concern

CPA is a progressive respiratory syndrome that largely occur in immunocompetent or subtly immunocompromised individuals with underlying structural lung diseases, most commonly treated TB Residual cavities remain in between 20% to 40% of lungs of patients following treatment for PTB Cavitation and ectatic lesions in PTBLD allows saprophytic colonisation and growth of Aspergillus species following inhalation of infectious spores from the environment. This leads to expansion of the existing or creation of new cavities with associated parenchymal and pleural damage A complex mixture of Aspergillus hyphae, tissue debris, inflammatory cells, and mucin known as a fungal ball (aspergilloma) may form in these cavities