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Review
. 2022 Apr 22;8(5):428.
doi: 10.3390/jof8050428.

Mechanistic Basis of Super-Infection: Influenza-Associated Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis

Keven Mara Robinson  1
Affiliations
Review

Mechanistic Basis of Super-Infection: Influenza-Associated Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis

Keven Mara Robinson. J Fungi (Basel). .

Abstract

Influenza infection is a risk factor for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts. The purpose of this review is to highlight the epidemiology of influenza-associated invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and the mechanistic studies that have been performed to delineate how influenza increases susceptibility to this invasive fungal infection.

Keywords: Aspergillus fumigatus; influenza; influenza-associated invasive pulmonary aspergillosis; invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Proposed model for how influenza alters antifungal immunity and increases susceptibility to aspergillus infection. The first line of host defense is healthy respiratory epithelium which can be damaged by influenza and allow for fungal invasion. Resident alveolar macrophages phagocytose aspergillus and both total numbers and function of macrophages is inhibited by influenza. Macrophages secrete cytokines to recruit neutrophils to the lung and influenza inhibits neutrophil recruitment through STAT1 signaling. Eosinophils have antifungal properties and influenza decreases eosinophil levels during invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.
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