16 General Causes of Aspergillus

There are many things that could cause infections of aspergillus. After all, when you’re dealing with a mold that is nearly omnipresent and can invade most areas of the body, it would probably be faster to list things that don’t cause it. That being said, there is one upside — aspergillosis isn’t contagious through person-person interaction.

This is great news for the human race as it ensures that outbreaks won’t occur anytime soon — unless the mold evolves to be transmissible through fomites, but let’s just hope it doesn’t. Aspergillus is pretty much everywhere, whether indoors or outdoors, and has various ways of getting into your body. Depending on which form of aspergillosis is present, treatment options may include surgery or antifungal medications.

1. Mold

The most common way that people get infected with aspergillus is through direct exposure to its mold form. You might think that the easiest way to avoid such an occurrence is by keeping your distance from the mold. That being said, it’s present wherever you go. Whether you’re staying home, on your way to the bus stop, or taking your dog for a walk through the park, aspergillus is there watching you, just waiting for an opportunity to make its way into your body. 

Short of wearing a hazmat suit, it’s pretty much impossible to avoid exposure to aspergillus mold. Common spots to find it outdoors include plants, dead leaves, compost, grain crops, trees, and pretty much any other area you could think of, to be honest. Even when no plant matter is present the mold could still be lurking around the corner. In this case, avoidance isn’t a viable strategy.