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Health care information for sinusitis sufferers |  |
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Health care information for sinusitis sufferers | |
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Inflammatory & Infectious Causes
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CausesInflammatory & Infectious CausesAllergies | Bacterial | Fungus | Polyps | Reflux | Viral |Fungus Fungi, such as Aspergillus, are plant-like organisms. Unlike plants, however, they cannot produce their own food from photosynthesis; they must absorb their food from other organic material. Like bacteria, fungi possess the important ability to consume and break down complex organic substances. Fungi usually consume organisms that are no longer living; however, occasionally a fungus begins feeding off of a still-living organism, which causes a fungal infection. In the past 30 years, there has been a significant increase in the number of recorded fungal infections. This can be attributed to increased public awareness, new immunosuppressive therapies (medications that suppress the body's immune system to prevent organ rejection), and the overuse of antibiotics (anti-infectives). When the body's immune system is suppressed, fungi find an opportunity to invade the body and a number of side effects occur. The moist, dark cavities of the sinuses are a natural home to the invading fungi, and when this occurs, fungal sinusitis results. Allergic Fungal Sinusitis (AFS) Sometimes, people with fungal sinusitis have an allergic-type reaction to the fungi in their sinuses and develop allergic fungal sinusitis. Read more. Invasive Fungal Rhinosinusitis This dangerous disease is almost exclusively associated with a severely depressed immune system. Read more. Email This Article To A Friend Printer-friendly Version Find an ENT Professional Near You
THIS SITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, CALL YOUR DOCTOR OR 911 IMMEDIATELY. All articles and graphics copyright ©2003, 2004 and 2005 Medtronic Xomed, Inc. All rights reserved. Version 1.5.0 This website was last updated on September 21, 2003. |
