A fungus is a type of microorganism that can infiltrate the lungs and create severe respiratory problems such as difficulty breathing, a fever and a cough. Sometimes, individuals are more susceptible to fungal lung infections if they live in a...
Histoplasma capsulatum, a fungal infection, causes histoplasmosis, a disease that has infected around 40 million people in the United States at some point in their lives, Thomas Volk of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse reports. As many as 80...
Many diseases and infections are associated with HIV/AIDS. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, swollen glands and flu-like symptoms are among the first signs of HIV infection. Over time, HIV...
Calcium is a necessary mineral for bone health. In certain conditions, however, calcium may form small growths in the lungs or other organs. When a calcium growth appears in the lungs, it is called a pulmonary granuloma, according to...
The ability to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide through the lungs is critical to life. The lungs are a common sight, however, for infections because the natural environment of the lungs is moist and well oxygenated--a perfect breeding ground...
The grapefruit tree, native to Barbados and widely cultivated in other warm climates, produces large citrus fruits that hang in bunches, like grapes, according to the "Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine." The extract from the grapefruit...
According to DoctorFungus.org, fungi, which are plant-like organisms that lack chlorophyll, exist as budding yeasts or molds. According to "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, yeastlike fungi include Candida and Cryptococcus. Molds include...
Lung granulomas are clumps of chronically inflamed tissue usually caused by a fungal or bacterial infection. They can also form due to noninfectious diseases, or from irritation of lung tissue by a foreign body. Granulomas consist of clusters of...
Grapefruit seed extract is derived from the seeds of the grapefruit and is available as capsules, tablets or as a liquid. Grapefruit seed extract is not an essential nutrient, but research has shown that it might be useful for certain conditions...
Fungal or mycotic lung diseases are a growing public health concern. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that even previously harmless types of fungal organisms are beginning to create serious illness in those whose immune...
Scientists once considered fungi plants. Now it is clear they are a distinctly different type of organism. Unable to produce their own food as plants do, fungi are opportunistic feeders and can live on decaying matter, foods and living...
Manufacturers claim that olive leaf supplements work for a range of conditions. However, at the time of publication, no conclusive scientific evidence backs up any medicinal uses of olive leaves as a treatment. Olive leaf extract can affect blood...
Some fungi grow as molds, while others exist in two forms, or dimorphic---either as molds or budding yeast. Fungi can cause pneumonia in healthy people who travel to endemic areas in the United States or Central America; they can also cause...
Olive leaf extract is available as a tincture and as capsules filled with powdered or dried olive leaves. According to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the herbal medicine has been used to treat infections, hypertension, inflammation and...
Granulomatous diseases are a group of disorders characterized by a particular type of immune response termed granulomatous inflammation. Specific types of immune cells are present in granulomatous lesions, also called granulomas, giving them an...
Determining the number of white blood cells present in a blood sample can give medical professionals important clues about what is causing a patient's symptoms. Leukopenia, or low white blood cell count, can indicate a number of medical...
A lung nodule is a small mass of abnormal tissue growth in the lungs. The nodules can be generally divided into benign or malignant lesions, but there are many causes for their presence in the lungs. The majority of lung nodules are benign, but...
There are many factors that can cause pulmonary or lung disease. There are many types of lung disease including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and tuberculosis; people with lung disease often have a difficult time breathing. If all...
Vitamin D helps your body to absorb calcium and maintain bone mineral density, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. You can get this vitamin through exposure to the sun or from food sources such as fish, fish liver oils and egg yolks....
The mucous membranes that line the nose and pharynx, and the white blood cells in the lungs, should normally trap any fungal spores. Antibodies also respond to fungal infections. But there are times when fungi can overcome the immune response of...
The high content of air in the lungs gives them a nearly transparent appearance on chest X-rays and CT scans. In contrast, areas of solid tissue within the lungs appear as white spots with these imaging techniques. A spot on the lung is an...
Vitamin D works to maintain normal levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood and contributes to maintenance of strong bones. The National Library of Medicine (NLM) reports that recent research suggests that it may also provide protection for...
Blood is a normally sterile fluid, and the presence of any type of microorganism is a cause of concern for the person infected. When discussing the presence of microorganisms in the blood, the suffix "-emia" is used--bacteremia, septicemia,...
A pulmonary nodule is a small lesion found incidentally in about one out of every 500 chest x-rays, according to the University of Rochester Medical Center. Most pulmonary nodules are benign, but they can represent early cancer. It is important to...
According to the "5-Minute Clinical Consult" textbook, in 2006 there were 56,300 new cases of HIV infection in the United States. Also in 2006, there were 14,627 deaths of people with AIDS. Worldwide in 2007, 32.2 million people are living with...
Patients commonly complain about night sweats, or nocturnal hyperhydrosis, according to the American Association of Family Physicians, or AAFP. These sweats can be so severe that nightclothes become drenched, although most cases are milder....
Pulmonary nodules are round spots less than 3 cm in diameter, or a little over 1 inch. Seen in the lungs on chest X-rays or CT scans, pulmonary nodules appear on around one in 500 X-rays, the University of Rochester reports. Nodules on the lungs...
The human immune deficiency virus (HIV), the causative agent of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) attacks specific components of the immune system of the body, making the body prone to certain opportunistic infections, cancers and...
As of 2008 there were a little over 33 million people living with advanced human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV/AIDS, according to the World Health Organization. As HIV progresses it can leave the body vulnerable to other forms of infections...
