When should I consider referring a patient with suspected invasive aspergillosis to a specialist?

Consider referring a patient with suspected invasive aspergillosis to a specialist immediately if they are immunocompromised, particularly if they are undergoing anticancer treatment and present with signs of neutropenic sepsis. This is because invasive aspergillosis is a serious fungal infection that commonly occurs in immunosuppressed patients, and neutropenic sepsis is a medical emergency requiring urgent specialist assessment and treatment.

Referral should be urgent when invasive aspergillosis is suspected in the context of neutropenic sepsis, as these patients need immediate assessment and empiric antimicrobial therapy in secondary or tertiary care settings.

In primary care, if invasive aspergillosis is suspected due to clinical features such as persistent or recurrent chest infection symptoms in at-risk patients, urgent referral for specialist assessment and imaging (e.g., chest X-ray) should be considered.