Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesTypesDiagnosisTreatmentComplicationsPreventionFAQ
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Types
Diagnosis
Treatment
Complications
Prevention
FAQ
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Several fungi cause fungal pneumonia, the three most common ones beingPneumocystis,Cryptococcus, andAspergillus.These fungi are found in the air, soil, and clinical environments like hospitals.
Fungal pneumonia tends to affect people with weaker immune systems, such as adults over the age of 65, children under the age of 2, and people with certain chronic diseases likehuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV/AIDs)or cancer.
Antifungal medications can cure this kind of infection. But if it is not treated, fungal pneumonia becomes very serious and can be deadly.
This article goes over what fungal pneumonia is, including its symptoms, treatments, and complications.
Fungal Pneumonia Symptoms
Because the most common symptoms of fungal pneumonia are similar to those of viral or bacterial lung infections, diagnosis—and proper treatment—can be delayed. Those symptoms are:
Age can play a part in the type and severity of symptoms in people with fungal pneumonia, including:
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When to See a Healthcare Provider
If you’ve been sick with respiratory symptoms and think you could have pneumonia, it’s very important that you seek medical care.
Call your provider if you have:
You should also call your provider if you think you could have been exposed to a fungus that could cause fungal pneumonia, especially if you are at risk because of your age or weak immune system. Read on for some of the possible places you may encounter such fungi.
Is Fungal Pneumonia an Emergency?Pneumonia can become a medical emergency. Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room if you or a loved one has:Trouble breathing and shortness of breath at restNew or worsening chest pain and discomfortConfusion or disordered thinking
Is Fungal Pneumonia an Emergency?
Pneumonia can become a medical emergency. Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room if you or a loved one has:Trouble breathing and shortness of breath at restNew or worsening chest pain and discomfortConfusion or disordered thinking
Pneumonia can become a medical emergency. Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room if you or a loved one has:
Causes of Fungal Pneumonia
Primarily, fungal pneumonia develops when fungal spores are inhaled. Each form of this disease arises from a corresponding type of fungus that often are native to specific regions. These fungi include:
In addition to these are opportunistic fungal infections, those present in any indoor or outdoor setting, including clinical or hospital environments, calledhospital-acquired infections (HAIs). Most common among these areCandida,Aspergillus, andPneumocystis jirovecii, the latter two of which cause pneumonia.
Overall, these infections are rare in healthy adults and tend to infect people with compromised immunity. These include:
Types of Fungal Pneumonia
As noted, there are several types of fungal pneumonia, and while they largely align, symptoms can vary slightly among them. Pneumonia types are categorized based on the fungus that causes the infection.
Pneumocystis Pneumonia
Deriving from the yeast-likePneumocystis jiroveciifungi, pneumocystis pneumonia causes severe dry cough, fever, and chest pains. It typically impacts those with vulnerable immune systems, like cancer patients and those with HIV, or people who have had a bone marrow transplant or take high doses of corticosteroids.
Since this fungal pneumonia most often arises in already very sick, immunocompromised people, this condition can be very difficult to take on. Treatment may be oral medication or daily IV (intravenous) injections for three weeks. While outcomes are improving, this type of pneumonia is still a major cause of death among HIV/AIDs patients.
Valley Fever
Also known as coccidioidomycosis, valley fever arises from exposure toCoccidioidesfungi from soil in the U.S. Southwest and parts of Central America and South America. It usually affects people 60 and older and those exposed to dusty environments, such as farmworkers and construction workers.
Symptoms of this fungal infection—fever, cough, headache, rash, and muscle and joint pain—mimic other illnesses, making diagnosis challenging.
The outlook for people with this condition is brighter than for those with other fungal pneumonia. While treatment is extensive—lasting up to six months—most people respond well to it and recover fully. Long-term infections and nerve damage can linger, and untreated cases can be dangerous.
Histoplasmosis
In the worst cases, infections spread from the lungs to other parts of the body, such as the spinal cord and brain.
Courses of treatment—taking medications—can last from three to 12 months. Severe cases of this pneumonia can be deadly, and histoplasmosis has a mortality rate of about 4% six months after hospitalization.
Cryptococcus
This pneumonia is due to exposure toCryptococcus neoformans, which is found in rotting wood and bird droppings in natural environments. As with other infections, cryptococcus only occurs in people with already weak immune systems, with most healthy individuals being able to fend off this disease.
Typical pneumonia symptoms accompany cases of cryptococcus. If untreated, it can progress to an infection of the brain or spinal cord called cryptococcal meningitis.
Antifungal medication for this condition is taken for at least six months, with fatality estimated to be about 12%. Like pneumocystis pneumonia, this infection was once a major cause of death among HIV/AIDS patients, though these numbers have gone down as therapies improve.
Aspergillosis
Among the most prevalent airborne fungi isAspergillus, a mold found in many indoor and outdoor environments. The resulting infection, aspergillosis, is often acquired in the hospital setting in patients with severe immunodeficiency.This type, along with cryptococcus and some others, is associated with late-stage HIV/AIDS cases.
In addition to pneumonia symptoms, this type of infection can cause masses known as “fungal balls” (aspergilloma) to grow in the lungs. It can also spread to other organs.
While milder forms of aspergillosis are easily treated and managed with drug therapy, severe cases can be dangerous. Since immunocompromised people are affected, this condition can become deadly. For instance, the one-year survival rate for those with this condition after an organ transplant is about 59%.
One of the main challenges of fungal pneumonia is that it’s a disease that resembles others. Many people delay seeking medical attention, assuming they have a cold or flu. In addition, determining the exact cause requires lab assessment of cultures found in mucus and/or fluid from the lungs.
Diagnosis is made through the following tests:
In severe cases, additional tests may be needed, including:
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Fungal Pneumonia Treatment
Fungal pneumonia is primarily treated with antifungal medications. Specific dosages and methods of administration vary based on the individual case and type of infection. Medications indicated include:
In severe cases, oxygen therapy to restore oxygen levels and breathing exercises to loosen mucus and strengthen the lungs might be ordered. In general, the duration of treatment for fungal pneumonia can last up to year.
In very advanced cases of cryptococcus, valley fever, and aspergillosis, fungal growths called mycetomas can form in the lungs and need to be surgically removed.This delicate work is undertaken only if previous therapies haven’t yielded results.
Complications of Fungal Pneumonia
If fungal pneumonia progresses, a number of potentially very dangerous complications arise:
If the infection spreads from the lungs to the bloodstream, other parts of the body become vulnerable. This leads to a number of serious conditions, including:
Advanced cases of fungal pneumonia of all forms also can lead to mycetomas in the lungs. Aspergilloma, the development of mycetomas as a result ofAspergillusinfection, is the most common form, but valley fever, histoplasmosis, and cryptococcus can all cause these growths.
Can Fungal Pneumonia Be Prevented?
There are steps you can take to prevent fungal pneumonia. These are even more important if you have a weak immune system:
Summary
Fungal pneumonia happens when you breathe in spores for different kinds of fungus. It causes flu-like symptoms and is more likely to infect people who have weak immune systems.
It’s not contagious, but fungal pneumonia can be a serious illness if it’s not diagnosed and treated.
You can’t always prevent pneumonia, but there are steps you can take to reduce your risk. Staying healthy, protecting yourself if you’re in an environment where fungi could live, and getting care if you’re feeling ill will help you avoid serious complications.
Frequently Asked QuestionsThe most common causes of fungal pneumonia in the environment are coccidioides, histoplasmosis, cryptoccous neoformans, and blastomyces.Candida, aspergillum, and pneumocystis jirovecii are common causes of hospital-acquired fungal pneumonia.Fungal pneumonia can feel like the flu or other types of pneumonia. It causes symptoms like fever, cough, and pain when you breathe.How long it takes to treat fungal pneumonia depends on the cause and how serious the infection is. A few weeks of medication can clear up the infection in some people, but more severe cases may take months to recover from.Fungal pneumonia can be very serious, partly because it often occurs in people who have weak immune systems. People can develop complications ranging from fluid in their lungs to an infection that spreads to their brains. In some cases, fungal pneumonia can be fatal.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most common causes of fungal pneumonia in the environment are coccidioides, histoplasmosis, cryptoccous neoformans, and blastomyces.Candida, aspergillum, and pneumocystis jirovecii are common causes of hospital-acquired fungal pneumonia.
The most common causes of fungal pneumonia in the environment are coccidioides, histoplasmosis, cryptoccous neoformans, and blastomyces.
Candida, aspergillum, and pneumocystis jirovecii are common causes of hospital-acquired fungal pneumonia.
Fungal pneumonia can feel like the flu or other types of pneumonia. It causes symptoms like fever, cough, and pain when you breathe.
How long it takes to treat fungal pneumonia depends on the cause and how serious the infection is. A few weeks of medication can clear up the infection in some people, but more severe cases may take months to recover from.
Fungal pneumonia can be very serious, partly because it often occurs in people who have weak immune systems. People can develop complications ranging from fluid in their lungs to an infection that spreads to their brains. In some cases, fungal pneumonia can be fatal.
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22 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Orlowski H, McWilliams S, Mellnick V et al.Imaging spectrum of invasive fungal and fungal-like infections.RadioGraphics. 2017;37(4):1119-1134. doi:10.1148/rg.2017160110Limper A, Knox K, Sarosi G et al.An official American Thoracic Society statement: treatment of fungal infections in adult pulmonary and critical care patients.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2011;183(1):96-128. doi:10.1164/rccm.2008-740stLi Z, Lu G, Meng G.Pathogenic fungal infection in the lung.Front Immunol. 2019;10. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2019.01524National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus.Pneumonia: also called ‘bronchopneumonia.‘Nationwide Children’s.Pneumonia symptoms.American Lung Association.Pneumonia symptoms and diagnosis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fungal meningitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Hospitalized patients and fungal infections.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Pneumonia.Johns Hopkins.Pneumonia.Phan S, Thomas, Jr. C.Pneumocystis pneumonia. National Organization for Rare Disorders.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Valley fever (coccidioidomycosis).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Histoplasmosis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.C. neoformans infection.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About aspergillosis.Janssen Pharmaceuticals.Sporanox (itraconazole). U.S. Food and Drug Administration.National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus.Fluconazole.National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus.Amphotericin B injection.Beamer S.Surgical management of non-mycobacterial fungal infections.J Thorac Dis. 2018;10(S28):S3398-S3407. doi:10.21037/jtd.2018.08.85American Lung Association.Preventing pneumonia.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Aspergillosis risk & prevention.American Lung Association.Pneumonia treatment and recovery.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Orlowski H, McWilliams S, Mellnick V et al.Imaging spectrum of invasive fungal and fungal-like infections.RadioGraphics. 2017;37(4):1119-1134. doi:10.1148/rg.2017160110Limper A, Knox K, Sarosi G et al.An official American Thoracic Society statement: treatment of fungal infections in adult pulmonary and critical care patients.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2011;183(1):96-128. doi:10.1164/rccm.2008-740stLi Z, Lu G, Meng G.Pathogenic fungal infection in the lung.Front Immunol. 2019;10. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2019.01524National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus.Pneumonia: also called ‘bronchopneumonia.‘Nationwide Children’s.Pneumonia symptoms.American Lung Association.Pneumonia symptoms and diagnosis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fungal meningitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Hospitalized patients and fungal infections.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Pneumonia.Johns Hopkins.Pneumonia.Phan S, Thomas, Jr. C.Pneumocystis pneumonia. National Organization for Rare Disorders.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Valley fever (coccidioidomycosis).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Histoplasmosis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.C. neoformans infection.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About aspergillosis.Janssen Pharmaceuticals.Sporanox (itraconazole). U.S. Food and Drug Administration.National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus.Fluconazole.National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus.Amphotericin B injection.Beamer S.Surgical management of non-mycobacterial fungal infections.J Thorac Dis. 2018;10(S28):S3398-S3407. doi:10.21037/jtd.2018.08.85American Lung Association.Preventing pneumonia.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Aspergillosis risk & prevention.American Lung Association.Pneumonia treatment and recovery.
Orlowski H, McWilliams S, Mellnick V et al.Imaging spectrum of invasive fungal and fungal-like infections.RadioGraphics. 2017;37(4):1119-1134. doi:10.1148/rg.2017160110
Limper A, Knox K, Sarosi G et al.An official American Thoracic Society statement: treatment of fungal infections in adult pulmonary and critical care patients.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2011;183(1):96-128. doi:10.1164/rccm.2008-740st
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American Lung Association.Preventing pneumonia.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Aspergillosis risk & prevention.
American Lung Association.Pneumonia treatment and recovery.
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