New insight into body's response to killer fungus

Scientists at the University of Aberdeen, with colleagues from several institutions, including the Institut Pasteur, have made a new discovery that could help in the fight against a fungus that kills around 200,000 people every year and causes lung and allergic diseases in millions of others.

The study, carried out in collaboration with a number of institutions, including the Institut Pasteur, sheds new light on our immune system’s response to a deadly microorganism and is published today in Nature. Aspergillus fumigatus is one of the most feared complications for patients undergoing treatments such as transplantation as it can lead to an invasive infection that is fatal in over 50% of cases. It is also thought to be responsible for a range of different lung diseases including asthma, in millions of people worldwide.

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