title: Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis presenting as lobar or total lung collapse.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a T-helper cell 2 (Th2) mediated hypersensitive lung disorder in response to Aspergillus that usually affects asthmatic and cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. ABPA rarely presents as lung collapse and such kind of presentation is very rare in non asthmatic patients. We are presenting a series of three cases in which ABPA presented as lobar or total lung collapse. ABPA presenting as opaque hemithorax is a rarity with only a few of them reported in the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  the first case described is a 45-year non-smoker with history suggestive of bronchial asthma and on chest radiological examination was found to have opaque right hemithorax. The second case is of 62-year non-smoker non-asthmatic patient who presented to us as left lung collapse. The last case is of middle lobe collapse in asthmatic male. All cases ultimately were proved to be having ABPA and after treatment showed marked clinical and radiological improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present case series highlights the need for aggressive approach in diagnosing this treatable condition in cases presenting as segmental or total lung collapse. The condition has a good prognosis if detected early.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Allergy and Applied Immunology, National Centre of Respiratory Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, India. rajkumarvpci@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Raj
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Mohammed Noufal
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Poongadan
authors.forename: Mandeep
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D001229:Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D001261:Pulmonary Atelectasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed