Aug. 4, 2011 Researchers led by Montana State University have
found a surprising condition that occurs in the lungs after an
invasion of a common mold that can cause deadly infections in
humans. In the most oxygen-rich environment in the body -- the
lungs -- the scientists discovered a shortage of oxygen. The
shortage resulted from inflammation and invasive growth of the
mold, which greatly reduced the oxygen available to the
pathogenic mold Aspergillus fumigatus. The mold is generally
found in hay, soils and compost piles and can cause a variety of
lung infections when inhaled by humans. The most lethal of those
infections is invasive aspergillosis, which can kill 30 to 90
percent of its victims depending on the patient population. Most
susceptible are people who have had organ transplants, HIV,
chemotherapy or other medical treatments that weaken their
ability to fight off infection. "We think this (the lack of
oxygen) is a really big stress on the pathogen," said Nora
Grahl, a doctoral candidate at MSU. Gr