Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis Network (CPAnet)

Submitted by GAtherton on 2 July 2018

CPAnet aims to assemble a group of researchers and clinicians who have an interest in chronic pulmonary aspergillosis,

“To promote clinically oriented research in the field of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis”.

They make the following statement on their website.

“Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) is a severe fungal infection with a high morbidity and mortality, and is usually seen in immunocompetent patients with respiratory disorders. Clinical presentation is nonspecific and often overlaps with the symptoms and the radiological pattern caused by the underlying disease. Clinical management of CPA is further hampered by limited information about the epidemiology, disease dynamics, sensitivity and specificity of different mycological tests, mechanisms of antifungal resistance, efficient treatment and management strategies. In order to contribute to a better understanding and to improve CPA patient management and outcome, we established in March 2017 the Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis Network (CPAnet), a self-organized multinational research collaboration to promote clinically oriented research in the field of CPA by sharing and developing research ideas and protocols. (Godet C. et al. JAC 2018).”

CPAnet have set up the CPA registry to facilitate a large, multisite, worldwide study on all of the aspects of CPA referred to in the statement above, and also the CPAepi project which aims to gather information on strains of Aspergillus isolated from patients, particularly information on antifungal drug resistance status.

CPAnet held its first symposium in March 2017 and held a second during the ISHAM conference on 30th June 2018.