Second, we present the
mechanisms involving fungi in the development of airway
allergic disorders, including allergic asthma, allergic
bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and mycosis
(ABPM), allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) and hypersensitivity
pneumonitis (HP) and airway non-allergic disorders
such as chronic bronchitis, organic dust toxic syndrome and
chronic mycotoxicosis. Of note, we do not discuss about chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), since no convincing
association between COPD and airborne fungi has been reported,
despite the fact that 15–20 % of non-smokers have an
occupational exposure aetiology and that the exposure to
organic dust has been incriminated for some of them