fights killer in the air that we breathe

[Guest guest]

fights killer in the air that we breathe

http://www.leighreporter.co.uk/leigh-news/-fights-killer-in-the.5238771.jp

OPENING: and Lowe and TV's Dr Steele at the opening of the

new clinic.

Leigh Today - Leigh,England,UK

Published Date: 06 May 2009

A Leigh dad who is fighting a little-known fungal disease of the lungs is

backing the world's first specialist treatment centre for the condition.

Lowe was on hand to help launch the National Aspergillosis Centre at

Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester.

Although receiving scant attention from the medical profession and media, the

illness affects hundreds of thousands of people in the UK and attacks the lungs,

nose and sinuses.

Aspergillus is a family of fungi, extremely common in the air we all breathe.

But, while most people kill the fungal spores rapidly, others – often with weak

immunity – are sensitised to them.

This produces allergic symptoms including asthma, life-threatening pneumonia in

leukaemia, lung cancer and organ transplant patients.

, a 59-year-old bricklayer, was unfortunate to contract the disease as he

recovered from lung cancer, other tumors and a bout of the superbug MRSA.

Despite seven years of medical woes the father of one considers himself lucky,

saying it is a miracle he has survived all he has been through.

He also says he is extremely fortunate that Prof Denning chose to set up

his pioneering clinic so close to the borough.

Treated

, of Nel Pan Lane, Leigh, said: " My initial lung cancer was successfully

treated by the removal of the top half of one of my lungs, but I have had other

problems since including asp-ergillosis.

" I had never even heard of it and my GP was baffled at first as to why I was

coughing all this stuff up.

" Antibiotics weren't doing any good. But he had the presence of mind to transfer

me back to Wythenshawe where I had previously been treated and this disease was

diagnosed. "

The National Aspergillosis Centre will focus on another form of the disease – a

chronic pneumonia which leaves cavities in the lung – and link specialist

consultants, nurses, surgeons, radiologists and researchers to reduce deaths and

deliver a better quality of care for patients.

Centre Director Prof Denning said: " Over the past few decades, the incidence of

invasive aspergillosis has risen steadily.

" It is now the most common invasive mould infection worldwide. Mortality is

almost 100 per cent if the disease is left untreated. It occurs in up to 25 per

cent of all leukaemia patients and is the leading infectious cause of death in

many transplant centres.

" Here at UHSM research carried out is looking at the ways we can grow our

knowledge of the disease. "

TV doctor and acclaimed GP Dr Steele officially opened the centre.