Between 2000 and 2016, around 45 million lives were saved due to effective treatment of pulmonary TB worldwide and 1.6–3.5 million of these would subsequently have developed aspergillosis.
The research published today in the prestigious European Respiratory Journal, also found the complication in those with and without HIV infection.
CPA Symptoms, persisting for 3 months, include coughing, coughing up blood, chest pains or night sweats, fever and tiredness.
People with a positive Aspergillus antibody and any of these symptoms have a 93% chance of having CPA with 98% accuracy.
Confirmation requires a chest X-ray showing the characteristic features of pleural thickening and/or a cavity.
Dr Iain Page, Clinical Lecturer at The University of Manchester, who conducted the study over 4 years paid tribute to collaborators in Gulu, Uganda and said:
“I am immensely proud that the doctors and patients in Uganda have led the world in defining this important fungal complication of TB. In other studies, over 75% of those with aspergillosis have died within 5 years and we fear this is currently the case in many countries.”