ABSTRACT
SUMMARY: Background. Volumetric pollen traps are commonly used to assess pollen exposure. These traps are well suited for estimating the regional mean airborne pollen concentration but are likely not to provide an accurate index of personal exposure. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that hair sampling may provide different pollen counts from those from pollen traps, especially when the pollen exposure is diverse. Methods. We compared pollen counts in hair washes to counts provided by stationary volumetric and gravimetric pollen traps in 2 different settings: urban with volunteers living in short distance from one another and from the static trap and suburban in which volunteers live in a scattered environment, quite far from the static trap. Results. Pollen counts in hair washes are in full agreement with trap counts for uniform pollen exposure. In contrast, for diverse pollen exposure, .individual pollen counts in hair washes vary strongly in quantity and taxa composition between individuals and dates. These results demonstrate that the pollen counts method (hair washes vs. stationary pollen traps) may lead to different absolute and relative contributions of taxa to the total pollen count. Conclusions. In a geographic area with a high diversity of environmental exposure to pollen, static pollen traps, in contrast to hair washes, do not provide a reliable estimate of this higher diversity.
Subject(s)
Air Pollutants/analysis , Allergens/analysis , Antigens, Plant/analysis , Environmental Monitoring/instrumentation , Hair/chemistry , Inhalation Exposure , Pollen , Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal/immunology , Adolescent , Adult , Air Pollutants/adverse effects , Air Pollutants/immunology , Allergens/adverse effects , Allergens/immunology , Antigens, Plant/adverse effects , Antigens, Plant/immunology , Equipment Design , Female , Hair/immunology , Humans , Inhalation Exposure/adverse effects , Male , Middle Aged , Pollen/adverse effects , Pollen/immunology , Reproducibility of Results , Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal/diagnosis , Suburban Health , Urban Health , Young AdultABSTRACT
Cypress belongs to the Cupressaceae family, which includes 140 species with non-deciduous foliage. The most important genera in allergic diseases are Cupressus sempervirens or Green cypress, Cupressus arizonica or Blue cypress, Juniperus oxycedrus, Juniperus communis and Thuya. Because J. oxycedrus pollinates in October, C. sempervirens in January and February, C. arizonica in February and March, J. communis in April, the symptomatic period is long-lasting. Because of global warming, the pollination period is tending to last longer and Cupressaceae species are becoming established further the north. In Mediterranean countries, cypress is by far the most important pollinating species, accounting for half of the total pollination. The major allergens belong to group 1. The other allergens from cypress and Juniper share 75 to 97 % structural homology with group 1 major allergens. The prevalence of cypress allergy in the general population ranges from 5 % to 13 %, according to exposure to the pollen. Among outpatients consulting an allergist, between 9 and 35 %, according to different studies, are sensitized to cypress pollen. Repeated cross-sectional studies performed at different time intervals have demonstrated a threefold increase in the percentage of cypress allergy. Risk factors include a genetic predisposition and/or a strong exposure to pollen, but air pollutants could play a synergistic role. The study of the natural history of cypress allergy allows the identification of a subgroup of patients who have no personal or family history of atopy, whose disease began later in life, with low total IgE and often monosensitization to cypress pollen. In these patients, the disease is allergic than rather atopic. In the clinical picture, rhinitis is the most prevalent symptom but conjunctivitis the most disabling. A cross-reactivity between cypress and peach allergy has been demonstrated. The pharmacological treatment of cypress allergy is not different from that for other allergies. Hyposensitization has been used, at first by injection, but nowadays mostly through the sublingual route, but clinical trials have included few patients. Avoidance can be implemented at the individual level but also at the community levels using alternative plants, low-pollinating cypresses or by trimming hedges prior to pollination.
Subject(s)
Cupressus/immunology , Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal , Allergens/immunology , Cupressus/classification , Desensitization, Immunologic , Humans , Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal/diagnosis , Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal/epidemiology , Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal/therapyABSTRACT
The spread of ragweed in the Lyon region and Rhône valley has lead two associations regarding this problem: Association Française d'Etudes Des Ambroisies (AFEDA) and Groupement d'Allergologie et d'Immunologie Clinique du Rhône-Moyen (GAICRM) to join their competences and create a new group: Surveillance Aéropalynologique Rhône-Alpes (SARA). SARA manages six pollen traps in the Lyon area and central Rhône valley and has set up an original and effective information network.
Subject(s)
Environmental Monitoring , Pollen , Societies, Scientific , France , Information ServicesABSTRACT
Sensitivity to ragweed pollen, along with grasses pollen, is the leading cause of pollen-induced allergy in our region. Our study focuses on the variation of eosinophilia levels in the blood taken from a sample of the general population during both ragweed and grasses pollination periods. The pollen trap located in the central Rhône River Valley region has provided weekly counts since 1995. The Etablissement Français du Sang Rhône-Alpes-Valence routinely checks hypereosinophilia in the blood through systematic analysis after a blood donation. Average cumulative pollen counts for grasses and ragweed present an interesting correlation with the levels of hypereosinophilia measured at the end of the summer.
