Clinico-immunologic evaluation of allergy to Himalayan tree pollen in atopic subjects in India--a new record.

Exposure to local pollen allergens has a direct bearing on the prevalence of allergic symptoms among the inhabiting atopic population. The populations in the Himalayas and around it are exposed to a variety of pollen grains from trees growing in the region, but the pollen-population interaction has not been clinically investigated. Himalayan tree pollen from five different taxa, i.e. Alnus nitida (AN), Betula utilis (BU), Cedrus deodara (CD), Mallotus phillipensis (MP) and Quercus incana (QI) were evaluated for their allergenicity in the Indian population by in vivo (skin prick test) and in vitro (ELISA) clinico-immunological methods. The presence of specific IgE against these tree pollen in the sera of skin test positive patients was taken as evidence for sensitization to these pollen. The average skin positivity in atopic populations recorded at different allergy centers in India varied from 2.2% against AN, to 4.7% against MP pollen. Significantly raised specific IgE against these pollen were observed in the sera of hypersensitive patients. The sensitization pattern to Himalayan tree pollen in these atopic populations varied. It was concluded that skin prick test positivity and raised IgE antibodies specific to AN, BU, CD, MP and QI established Himalayan tree pollen as important sensitizers in the atopic populations of India. A high incidence of skin sensitivity was observed to pollen antigens of Cedrus deodara, Mallotus phillipensis and Quercus incana in patients of Chandigarh residing in the hills and foothills of the Himalayas while Alnus nitida, Betula utilis and Cedrus deodara were important sensitizers in Delhi patients. The skin sensitization pattern against these pollen was in accordance with the level of exposure to these pollen of the subjects residing in that part of the country.

An investigation of aeroallergens affecting urban Malaysian asthmatics.

We investigated the aeroallergens affecting 200 asthmatics from the University Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and found 164 (82%) patients with skin prick test (SPT) reactivity to one or more of a panel of 14 allergens, which included indoor and outdoor animal and plant aeroallergens. Reactivity was most frequent to the indoor airborne allergens, with 159 (79.5%) reacting to either or both house dust mite (Dermatophagoides) species and 87 (43.5%) to cockroach. The SPT reactivity to house dust mites corresponded with the finding that patients found house dust to be the main precipitant of asthmatic attacks.

A study of pollen prevalence in relation to pollen allergy in Malaysian asthmatics.

In this paper we report results of skin prick tests (SPT) using pollen extracts on 200 patients with clinical symptoms of asthma, and results of a parallel study in which pollen was collected and classified over a period of 18 months. The patients were outpatients from the University Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, while the pollen grains were collected with a spore trap placed in the campus of the University of Malaya, approximately one kilometer from the University Hospital. Pollen extracts of 3 grasses (Bahia, Bermuda, rough pigweed) and 2 flowering trees, Acacia and Melaleuca, were used in the SPT. Of the 29.5% asthmatics with positive SPT reactions, 21.5% were to one or more of the grass pollens, 21.5% to Acacia and 7.5% to Melaleuca pollen. Acacia and Bermuda grass extracts were the most allergenic, which agreed with results of the pollen collection which showed grass and Acacia pollen grains to be the two most commonly found pollens.

Tres años de monitoreo de la lluvia polínica en la ciudad de Buenos Aires / Three years of monitory of the rain pollinic in the Buenos Aires city

Se presentan los resultados obtenidos durante tres años (julio 1989-junio 1992) de monitoreo de la lluvia polínica en tres sitios diferentes de muestreo de la ciudad de Buenos Aires (Almagro, Ciudad Universitaria, Costanera Sur). El mismo se realizó mensualmente utilizando un muestreador gravitacional Tauber. Se pueden establecer tres estaciones aeropalinológicas: una estación con dominancia de árboles (julio-agosto); una estación con dominancia de hierbas (noviembre-abril); una estación residual, con escasos registros polínicos (mayo-junio). La composición de la nube polínica está determinada por la vegetación cercana a cada muestreador. Así, los árboles toman los mayores valores absolutos en Almagro, mientras que las hierbas lo hacen en Ciudad Universitaria y Costanera Sur. Pocos tipos polínicos alcanzan valores absolutos importantes. Entre los árboles los fresnos, plátanos, arces, cipreses, sauces, eucalyptus, talas y moreras. Dentro de las hierbas las gramíneas, compuestas (Ambrosinae especialmente), ciperaceas y quenopodáceas/amarantáceas. Las esporas tienen escasa representación, con excepción de las briofitas. Se da una tabla con datos fenológicos y el calendario polínico para la ciudad de Buenos Aires

Polen aéreo en la ciudad de Buenos Aires / Pollen aerial in the Buenos Aires city

Se analiza el contenido mensual de polen en la atmósfera durante un período anual completo en la ciudad de Buenos Aires. Se han identificado 77 tipos de polen. Las mayores concentraciones polínicas se alcanzan durante fin del invierno y primavera, con el pico anual de concentraciones en octubre, cuya mayor parte proviene de árboles y arbustos cultivados. Un segundo pico anual de menor importancia se registra en marzo por la contribución principal de compuestas (sobre todo Ambrosiinae). Las frecuencias polínicas se correlacionan con datos fitogeográficos, fenológico y meteorológicos