Aerobiological study of Chenopodiaceae and Amaranthaceae in the Mediterranean area of southwestern Spain.

The study area is characterized by a maritime Mediterranean climate, abundant presence of Chenopodiaceae in the vegetation, and a high incidence of pollinosis caused by the pollen of this family. A Hirst-type sampler was used to determine pollen concentrations in the air of the city of Huelva during 3 consecutive years (1995-1997). The total annual amount of Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae pollen was between 10.59% and 6.28% of the pollen spectrum of the city, depending on the year. The annual pattern of variation in pollen concentration (5-day means) was very similar in the 3 years, and no statistically significant differences were found between years. This pattern is characterized by concentrations not exceeding 20 grains/m3 between April and the beginning of August, with an obvious seasonal variation in the second half of August and September, when the 5-day mean concentrations exceeded 40 grains/m3 and the daily maxima exceeded 100 grains/m3. This coincided with the flowering of most of the species in the group. The meteorological parameters with a statistically significant effect on daily pollen concentration during the pollen season (August 15 to September 20) included mean temperature and south wind (positive correlations) and relative humidity of the air (negative correlation). The highest intradiurnal concentrations were found between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.     

Airborne plane-tree (Platanus hispanica) pollen distribution in the city of Córdoba, South-western Spain, and possible implications on pollen allergy.

Plane-trees are widely grown in Spain as ornaments. This taxon releases large amounts of pollen into the air and this pollen type seems to have proved implications on pollinosis. The aim of this study was to analyse airborne Platanus pollen content in the air of C6rdoba (South-western Spain) over the last 10 years, and its distribution in different areas of the city, as well as to consider possible implications regarding pollen allergies. Results revealed that Platanus pollen concentrations have been at their highest over the last 5 years. Within the city, the lowest pollen concentrations were in Northern areas of the city. Nevertheless, concentrations high enough to be of risk are reached over the whole city. All the patients studied presented symptoms during the Platanus pollen season. We can therefore conclude that plane pollen presents a risk for the whole city although symptoms are more intense and persistent in districts with a higher number of plane-trees. Platanus allergy is a particular problem for city-dwellers, where these trees are commonly used as ornamentals.     

Differences in the spatial distribution of airborne pollen concentrations at different urban locations within a city.

BACKGROUND: The objective of the present work was to compare pollen counts at three different urban locations within a city to each other and to the counts from a fixed trap. This information could be useful to delimit zones in the urbanized part of the city according to the risk of allergic affections. METHODS: Aerobiological sampling using portable traps was carried out at three points in urban zones of the city of Badajoz (SW Spain) over one year at the same time as continuous sampling using a fixed trap at a point in the nonurban outskirts of the city. The sources of airborne pollen were studied by counting the trees in the streets and squares of the selected zones. A statistical analysis was performed of the differences between the portable and fixed traps and of the temporal and spatial variation in the city as a function of the distribution of the most important pollen sources. RESULTS: Forty-eight pollen types were identified with the fixed trap, and 28 with the portable traps. The grass, olive, and oak pollens come from almost exclusively external sources, there being no spatial differences in their concentrations in the city. Cypress pollen concentrations were much higher at the urban locations than at the fixed trap site. Plane tree pollen levels could be locally very high, reflecting the proximity of the source. Except for ornamental plants, pollen levels were lower at the urban locations than at the site on the outskirts of the city. CONCLUSIONS: (1) Using portable traps at different urban zones in a city could provide information about the spatial variation of atmospheric pollen levels. (2) A knowledge of the often widely variable distribution of ornamental plants with potentially allergenic pollen could be useful in indicating city zones with a greater or lesser incidence of potential pollinosis.     

Cypress: a new plague for the Rhône-Alpes region?

Today the Cupressaceae are seen as one of the most allergenic plant families in the mediterranean region. A comparative study of Cupressaceae pollen concentration as sampled in Lyon-Bron (temperate region) and in Montpellier (mediterranean region) has been conducted. During the last 20 years, this family of plant has increasingly been represented in the pollinic spectra. In Montpellier the annual mean pollen concentration went from 43 pollen grains m3 of air at the beginning of the eighties to 72 pollen grains at the beginning of the years 2000. In Lyon, the progression is above 200% but with lesser annual mean pollen concentrations: 4.5 pollen grains m3 of air at the beginning of the eighties to 13.7 pollen grains at the beginning of the years 2000. The annual mean pollen concentration in the Lyon region still modest compared to the mediterranean stations, shows a steep increase though, that should be taken care of.     

Poplar pollen-related allergy in Ankara, Turkey: how important for patients living in a city with high pollen load?

The impact of high pollen load of particular plants on sensitized subjects is a topic of interest. We aimed to detect the clinical importance of poplar allergy in subjects with seasonal allergy living in Ankara, capital city of Turkey, having a high poplar pollen load. The subjects with seasonal allergy and demonstrating allergy to Populus alba in skin-prick tests (SPTs) (n = 20) underwent a specific nasal provocation test with P. alba allergen extract and were requested to fill in symptom-medication reports. During the same period, P. alba and Gramineae pollen counts were assessed in the city. Pollination for P. alba in Ankara for the year 2001 started in the 2nd week of March and terminated in the 1st week of May; 96.5% of subjects also had grass pollen sensitivities. By history, 85% of the subjects described mild symptoms in March and April, the expected pollinosis season for P. alba. Symptom and medication scores were higher in May and June than in March and April (p < 0.05). Allergy to P. alba pollen in patients with seasonal allergy causes mild symptoms where the dominant clinical presentation was demonstrated to be due to their additional Gramineae (grass) pollen allergy.     

The type of sensitization to pollens in allergic patients in Eskisehir (Anatolia), Turkey

The type of pollen allergy is in partly related to regional differences. We examined the incidence of sensitivity to pollens in patients with allergic rhinitis and/or asthma living in Eskisehir region which is located at the central part of Turkey (Anatolia) in where climates (hot-dry summers, cold-winters) facilitate allergenic pollens such as Poaceae. We skin tested 125 patients which were complaining from rhinitis and/or asthma symptoms with using the extracts of Dermatophagoides, grass, weed, cereal and tree pollens. The reactivity to Dermatophagoides as an indoor allergen was 50.4% (n = 63 patients). In pollen allergic patients (n = 100) sensitivity to Poaceae was the most common (69%), among them positivity to Anthoxanthum odoratum was 45%. In weeds Artemisia vulgaris sensitivity was 24%. Among trees Oleacea family which is characteristic species for Mediterranean are had the highest sensitivity (22%) in pollen allergic patients. Another point of study is that whereas sensitivity to grass pollen almost equal between patients from city center and from rural area (72.2% versus 71.4%, p > 0.05); the patients living rural area had mode sensitive to weed and tree pollens than those from city center (60.7% versus 45.8% for weeds and 42.9% versus 26.4% for trees, p < 0.05). The results suggested that sensitization to pollens in respiratory system allergies might be related to differences in macro (ie: climate) and micro (city or rural area) environmental characteristics of an area.     

上海中心城区气传花粉调查

目的明确上海市全年气传花粉的种类和数量及其分布特征。方法应用重力沉降法对上海市中心城区2009年11月至2010年10月间的气传花粉进行监测。结果全年共监测到2个花粉含量高峰,分别为3-5月和9-10月。全年气传花粉分布有明显的种属差异,树木类花粉占全部花粉计数的65.55%,莠草类及禾本科花粉占全部花粉计数的27.74%。春季以树木类花粉为主,主要为构属(45.64%)、悬铃木属(6.06%)和松科(7.86%);而秋季以莠草类及禾本科花粉为主,主要为葎草属(59.01%)、禾本科(18.45%)和蒿属(5.32%)。结论上海市中心城区气传花粉的分布呈现2个高峰;构属花粉和葎草属花粉分别是上海市中心城区春、秋两季最主要的气传花粉。这为花粉预报、确定主要致敏花粉奠定了基础。     

Incidence of pollinosis in the city of A Coru?a: correlation with aerobiological data.

An atmospheric pollen count was carried out in the city of A Coru?a during 1999 using two pollen traps located at two different points in the city. A total number of 6979 and 3536 pollen grains, respectively, were identified, the majority during the Spring and Summer. Further, patients living near the pollen traps were selected from among those diagnosed as suffering from respiratory allergies by the Allergy Department of A Coru?a's Juan Canalejo Hospital. The patients had at least one positive skin test for some pollen type, had not received immunotherapy in the last year, and were willing to fill in a symptoms booklet during the study period. The results obtained reveal the pollen types that produce the greatest number of skin sensitization cases (Poaceae, Plantago, Chenopodium and Parietaria), with a positive correlation between the atmospheric pollen concentration of such taxa and the frequency of allergy symptoms. This has enabled the setting of pollen values, above which A Coru?a's inhabitants are considered to be at risk.     

The correlation between middle schoolchildren allergic symptoms and airborne particle season: A cross-sectional study

Limited studies correlate allergic symptoms and associated outdoor biological particle exposure among schoolchildren globally.This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the seasonality of symptoms of allergic diseases among middle schoolchildren and the annual variation of airborne pollen and fungal spore in a hot and humid geographical region (Qatar).During November 2017 to January 2018, a self-reported study of middle schoolchildren living in the Doha capital city of Qatar was conducted, and data gathered were evaluated in relation to the collected monthly pollen and fungal spores. Participants’ data were collected by conducting a survey based on a modified questionnaire adopted from the International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood (ISAAC). The airborne pollen and fungal spore in Doha''s atmosphere were extracted from the Doha aerobiology project (2017–2020).Among the 1000 distributed questionnaires, 100 were excluded due to significant missing data and 644 middle schoolchildren living in Doha city responded and were included in the final analysis. The symptoms of allergic rhinitis (AR) pattern among the responders with positive symptoms were strongly linked with the higher airborne fungal spore incidence during the month of November. Out of 331 students with positive symptoms, the prevalence of AR, lifetime wheeze, and eczema was 62.8%, 28.1%, and 26.6%, respectively. Asthma was significantly higher in Qatari (39.8%) compared to non-Qatari (26.7%) middle schoolchildren (P = .02).Outdoor aeroallergen may be a contributing factor in addition to other environmental and genetic predisposing factors for childhood atopic diseases in the prevalence rate of allergic symptoms among middle schoolchildren in the peninsula of Qatar.     

Cypress in Italy: landscape and pollen monitoring

In Italy the Cupressaceae pollen has been monitored by the Italian Aeroallergen Network (IAN) in collaboration with the Italian Research Council (CNR) since 1988. The measurements carried out over the last decade show a positive trend of the seasonal emission of the cypress pollen, whose flowering peak occurs in Italy from mid-February to mid-March. During the pollination period the cypress pollen represents 10% to 40% of the total pollen, showing a high variability of its annual production.     

Pollen allergy in Cordoba city: frequency of sensitization and relation with antihistamine sales.

The occurrence of symptoms in pollen allergy patients in urban areas may be affected by local environmental factors such as sources of pollution, natural and ornamental vegetation, local architecture impeding dispersion, etc. The aim of this study was to analyse the frequency of sensitization in pollen allergy patients and the relationship with antihistamine sales. For this study, a large number of clinical records, together with pharmaceutical and pollen data, were collected between 1999 and 2001 in the city of Córdoba, in the south of the Iberian Peninsula. Differences were observed in the symptoms suffered by pollen allergy patients in different areas of the city due to varying local emission of both biological and non-biological particles. Temporal distribution of symptoms over the three study years was influenced by meteorological factors, especially rainfall patterns; higher water supply to plants was associated with increased airborne pollen concentrations. Air pollution might be one of the main factors affecting the distribution of pollen allergy patients within the city. Recent years have seen a worsening of symptoms and increased sensitization to urban species such as plane-trees.     

Pollen composition of the air in Annaba (north-eastern Algeria)

The originality of the city of Annaba is that it is situated between two big ecological surroundings, to know, the Mediterranean sea to the north and the forest covering the massif of the Edough to the west. It incited us to determine to what point the vegetation of massif, influence it atmospheric pollen of the city of Annaba, notably in pollens allergisants. Of our survey, it comes out again that the region of Annaba is submitted to the influence of the massif of the Edough, because pollinic specter has reveled that nearly the half of pollens atmospheric identified belongs to the forest plants. The remainder of pollen belongs to humid, swampy, uncultivated zone species and of culture plants. In the end we can said that: the topography, the climatic conditions, and the speed of wind are factors determining the richness of the atmospheric in pollen.     

Aerobiological and allergenic analysis of cupressaceae pollen in Granada (Southern Spain).

Cupressaceae pollen has been cited in recent years as one of the major airborne allergens of the Mediterranean region, prompting us to conduct an exhaustive analysis on the aerobiological behaviour of this pollen in the Iberian Peninsula and the repercussion that it has had on the atopic population. The aerobiological study, performed from 1996 to 2003 in the city of Granada (S. Spain), used a volumetric Hirst collector. The results indicate that this pollen is present in the air most of the year, registering a high incidence during the winter months. This type of pollen behaved irregularly in the air, fluctuating yearly, seasonally, and within the same day. Temperature and humidity were the parameters that most directly influence the variability of this allergen, while rainfall prior to flowering increased pollen production. The predictive models used estimated a high percentage of the levels reached over the short term by this pollen in the atmosphere of Granada. The clinical study performed with atopic patients showed that some 30% of the population with pollinosis are sensitive to Cupressaceae pollen, affecting people of both genders equally. On the other hand, the most sensitive age group was 21-40 years of age, while children and the elderly registered almost negligible values. Most of the sensitive subjects resided within the city or in the metropolitan area, where environmental pollution reached high levels, while the pathology was found to be less frequent in rural zones. The most frequent symptoms were upper-respiratory ailments and an asthmatic profile.     

四川省成都市城区气传花粉监测

目的探索四川省成都市城区气传花粉的种类、数量及飘散规律。方法应用重力沉降法于2018年3月1日至2019年2月28日在四川省成都市城区进行为期1年的连续每日气传花粉曝片。结果共收集到花粉139520粒/1000 mm 2,能鉴定的花粉总计隶属36科、31属、2个种。其中构属花粉含量最高,达81754粒/1000 mm 2,占全年花粉总量的58.60%,其播粉期为3~4月,高峰期为3月下半月至4月上半月;其次是柏科花粉,达27518粒/1000 mm 2,占全年花粉总量的19.72%,其播粉期为1~3月,高峰期为1月下旬至3月上旬;大麻/葎草属占第三位,花粉含量5112粒/1000 mm 2,占全年花粉总量的3.66%,其播粉期为8~10月,高峰期为8月下旬至10月下旬。上述3种花粉为本地区优势气传花粉,合计占全年花粉总量的81.98%。含量超过1%的花粉还依次包括银杏、桦木属、松属、悬铃木属、枫杨属及蒿属花粉。全年花粉含量月分布呈现2个高峰,第一高峰为1~5月,主要气传花粉为构属、柏科、银杏、桦木属、松属、悬铃木属、枫杨属等树木花粉,占全年花粉总量的89.38%。第二高峰为8~10月,主要气传花粉为大麻/葎草属、蒿属等莠草花粉,占全年花粉总量的5.04%。结论本地区花粉季节有两个:春季为主要花粉季节,主要气传花粉为构属、柏科等树木花粉;夏秋季为次要花粉季节,主要花粉气传为大麻/葎草属、蒿属等莠草花粉。构属、柏科、大麻/葎草属花粉为本地区优势气传花粉,构属花粉为本地区绝对优势气传花粉。     

Relationship between pollen counts of Cryptomeria japonica and Cupressaceae and the severity of allergic symptoms

BackgroundA study throughout 1999 of the airborne pollens of both Cryptomeria japonica and Cupressaceae (Chamaecyparis obtusa and Juniperus rigida in the present study) demonstrated unique patterns of pollen dispersal at three observation sites, namely Okayama and Nishinomiya cities in the Chugoku region and Sakura city in the Kanto region.Methods/ResultsIn contrast with the Sakura site, where there was a low pollen count for Cupressaceae, high pollen counts were found at the two sites in Okayama and Hyogo Prefectures. There was a good correlation between results of pollen prick tests and the capsulated hydrophilic carrier polymer–radioallergosorbent test (CAP-RAST) for C. japonica, C. obtusa and J. rigida. The fact that a positivity rate of 32.6% to the J. rigida pollen skin test was obtained in Sakura city in Chiba Prefecture, where no J. rigida pollen dispersal was observed, seems to demonstrate the existence of a common antigen epidemiologically. Daily pollen counts, symptom scores, medication scores and symptom–medication scores of 25 patients with vernal pollinosis in Chiba Prefecture in whom the dose and use of internal and external medication was consistent with the severity of their symptoms, were all significantly related. The efficacy of pharmacotherapy seems to be inadequate when patients are exposed to pollen during a heavy pollen dispersal period without having taken any protection against it. Moreover, there seemed to be a certain critical point beyond which the symptoms rapidly worsened.ConclusionsThese results suggest that it is important to avoid exposure to pollen, based on the regional pollen information, as well as to administer appropriate medication.     

丽江市大气花粉分布及其与变态反应性疾病的关系

目的为探明丽江市空气中花粉飘散特点,为当地变态反应性疾病患者提供特异性诊断、治疗和预防的依据。方法采用重力沉淀法,于2007年11月1日至2009年10月31日对丽江市进行连续2年的大气花粉曝片调查,同时对470例变态反应性疾病患者进行花粉变应原皮试,并询问发病季节。结果丽江市空气中常年有花粉飘散,两年共收到孢粉63027粒,已鉴定79个科属种;每年出现两次高峰,即3-5月和9-10月。花粉变应原皮试阳性率77.87%,春季主要致敏花粉为黎、油菜、松、柏,秋季主要致敏花粉为蒿、旱冬瓜,蒿属花粉为丽江市致敏性最强的花粉。变态反应性疾病的发生与花粉的数量和种类相关,发病季节与花粉飘散特点相吻合。结论花粉是丽江市变态反应性疾病的主要致敏原之一。     

Précocité de la période de pollinisation de l’ambroisie à feuilles d’armoises à Lyon-Bron depuis 20 ans

We used data obtained in the Lyon-Bron region from 1982 to 2001 with the Cour pollen trap, a particularly sensitive measuring device, to study the main parameters that are used to forecast the onset of pollination of common ragweed. This predictive model had been defined in 1989 and the results have been published in the media since 1994. Analysis of the data showed that the onset of pollination was advancing over the past 20 years. The advance of the date of pollination is significant, registering an average of 11 days (range 6 to 16 days), with an advance of as much as a month in some years, depending on the criteria used. The regression line provides a forecast for 2002. We discuss the possibility that pollen counts taken over a long period might be used to measure climatic warming? From the point of view of the allergist, the wide year-to-year variations observed should be taken into account in the treatment of patients with ragweed allergy, confirming the potentially useful aspect of the predictive model produced by the AFEDA. These results indicate that there is every interest in continuing to determine pollen counts annually and to make the results public in real time, which could lead to an improvement in the care of the allergic patient. The regression line of the annual pollen counts is an additional factor to be considered, and it should be updated each year.     

Dust mites but not grass pollen are important sensitizers in asthmatic children in the Ecuadorian Andes.

Grass pollen is an important cause of asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis in Europe and the United States. In the high Andes however, the role this pollen plays in respiratory allergies is unknown. In this study, we tested the prevalence of grass pollen sensitization in comparison to other aeroallergens on 433 asthmatic children living in Quito, Ecuador (the Andes mountain range, 2,800 m above sea level). The skin prick test technique was used. We found that the least sensitizing allergens of all were grass pollen (12.2%) and molds (7.4%) with p < 0.0001. A clear predominance of sensitization to the house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (77.8%) and Dermatophagoides farinae (76.9%), in comparison to the other aeroallergens tested, in terms of sensitization (p = 0.00000) and papule size (p < 0.0002), was observed. The most highly sensitized group consisted of asthmatics between 5 and 15 years of age (D. pteronyssinus 90.7%, D. farinae 87.5%, dog hair 37.4%, cat hair 43%, grass pollen 15.9% and molds 9.9%). In the total study group, males were only more sensitive than females to D. pteronyssinus (82.1% vs. 71.6%, p = 0.0009). We concluded that in the group of asthmatic children studied, grass pollen showed a low capacity of sensitization, even though it is widely found all over our city. The most sensitizing allergens were D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae, followed by cat and dog hair.     

Rapidly rising incidence of childhood type 1 diabetes in Chinese population: epidemiology in Shanghai during 1997–2011

The aim of this study was to investigate incidence trend of childhood type 1 diabetes in Shanghai, a megalopolis in east China. We established a population-based retrospective registry for the disease in the city’s registered population during 1997–2011 and collected 622 incident type 1 diabetes in children aged 0–14 years. Standardized incidence rates and 95 % CI were estimated by applying the capture–recapture method and assuming Poisson distribution. Incidence trend was analyzed using the Poisson regression model. The mean annual incidence of childhood type 1 diabetes was 3.1 per 100,000 person-years. We did not observe significant difference in incidence between boys and girls. The incidence is unstable and had a mean annual increase 14.2 % per year during the studied period. A faster annual increase was observed in boys, warmer seasons, and in the outer regions of the city. If present trends continue, the number of new type 1 diabetes cases will double from 2016 to 2020, and prevalent cases will sextuple by 2025. Our results showed the incidence of childhood type 1 diabetes was rising rapidly in Shanghai. More studies are needed to analyze incidence changes in other regions of China for appropriate allocation of healthcare resources.     

Allergie aux pollens de Cyprès

Cupressaceae pollen allergy has increased in the Mediterranean region in recent decades. This allergy constitutes one of the few causes of respiratory allergy of winter. With regards to its clinical manifestations, rhinitis and conjunctivitis are more frequent than asthma. There has been a progressive increase in the total and annual concentration of Cupressaceae pollen, the reasons for which are the parallel increase in the planting of these trees and the global hothouse effect with the resulting climate change, both of which increase the production of pollen and their concentration in the ambient air. The effectiveness and safety of specific immunotherapy for Cupressaceae allergy were demonstrated some years ago in double-blind, controlled studies in which either traditional subcutaneous therapy or sublingual therapy were used.