Atlas of Head and Neck Pathology Fungal Infections

ASPERGILLUS. Infections with aspergillus, a fungal organism, are seen in the ear canal where a common variety is aspergillus niger. Sinal infections are also caused by aspergillus and pulmonary infections by inhalation of the fungus. In the maxillary sinus there may be a ball of fungus called aspergilloma. If the infection invades blood vessels, any organ may become involved. Not all aspergillus infections are of the variety niger; others produce a brown or white colored mass in the ear canal, e.g. the spores of aspergillus are released into the air from saphrocytic locations in water and soil and are inhaled or otherwise transferred to humans where they cause opportunistic fungal infections second in frequency only to candidiasis.