[Skin sensitisation profiles to inhalant allergens for patients in Tétouan city (North West of Morocco)]. / Profils de sensibilisation cutanée aux allergènes respiratoires des patients de la ville de Tétouan (Nord Ouest du Maroc).

The prevalence of respiratory allergies is increasing and is a serious global health problem. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of skin sensitization to inhalant allergens in patients consulting for respiratory allergy, to identify the main allergens involved and to evaluate the profile of skin prick-test reactivity related to sex, age and season. This retrospective study included 379 patients consulting during 2009-2012 in three private medical offices of Tetouan. Of the 379 patients, 39.6% were monosensitized and 60.4% polysensitized. The percentages of polysensitized patients were higher in patients exhibiting rhinoconjunctivitis and astma-rhinoconjunctivitis than in subjects with asthma. The prevalence of symptoms according to sex showed no significant difference (P=0.64). Regarding age, a significant difference was observed in the case of rhinoconjunctivitis (P<0.01), while asthma and asthma-rhinoconjunctivitis showed no significant difference. Sensitization to house dust mites was the most frequent followed by grasses, olives and Parietaria. The multiple correspondence analyses (ACM) showed that patients under 20-years of age with asthma and asthma-rhinoconjunctivitis profile are more associated with sensitization to mites during the spring and autumn. The 20-49-year age group was represented mainly by polysensitized patients with rhinoconjunctivitis. Sensitization to mites ranks first in Tetouan followed by the percentage of sensitized patients to grass pollen and olive. The ACM showed that the house dust mite asthma seems to affect more children and adolescents while the 20-49 year age of polysensitized group suffers significantly rhinoconjunctivitis.

[Interannual variation of the fungal spores of Tetouan (Northwest of Morocco) and their sporal calendar]. / Variation interannuelle des spores fongiques de Tétouan (Nord-Ouest du Maroc) et calendrier sporal.

THE AIM: The daily aeromycological monitoring of fungal spores in the city of Tetouan during the period 2009-2011, to determine their diversity, their predominance and their interannual and seasonal variation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The spore sampling was undertaken using a Burkard volumetric spore trap. RESULTS: The outdoor environment of Tetouan showed a highest predominance of deuteromycetes, collected essentially in summer and autumn. This study illustrated a high diversity of the fungal spores, the most frequent accounting for more than 97 % of the airborne fungal flora, and are according to their abundance (Cladosporium followed by Basidiospores, Ustilago, Alternaria, Leptosphaeria, Aspergillaceae, Cunninghamella, Venturia, Uredospores, Pleospora, Arthrinium, Stemphylium, Torula, Oidium, Ascospores, Drechslera, Epicoccum, Teleutospores and Fusarium). Alternaria and Cladosporium showed a longer period of emission, and are present in the atmosphere throughout the year with the highest incidence for Alternaria in June and for Cladosporium in August. They exceeded the allergenic threshold value in the air of Tétouan during 22, 94 and 75 days in 2009, 2010 and 2011 respectively for Alternaria and during 16 days in 2009, 14 days in 2010 and 13 days in 2011 for Cladosporium. The correlation between the meteorological parameters and the fungal spores proved that the temperature (maximum, average and minimum), the relative humidity (maximum, average and minimum) and the precipitation influenced the presence of the fungal spores in the air. CONCLUSION: The exposition to airborne fungal spores varied between years depending on local climatic conditions and might cause health impacts on patients showing respiratory allergy.

Modeling olive pollen intensity in the Mediterranean region through analysis of emission sources.

Aerobiological monitoring of Olea europaea L. is of great interest in the Mediterranean basin because olive pollen is one of the most represented pollen types of the airborne spectrum for the Mediterranean region, and olive pollen is considered one of the major cause of pollinosis in this region. The main aim of this study was to develop an airborne-pollen map based on the Pollen Index across a 4-year period (2008-2011), to provide a continuous geographic map for pollen intensity that will have practical applications from the agronomical and allergological points of view. For this purpose, the main predictor variable was an index based on the distribution and abundance of potential sources of pollen emission, including intrinsic information about the general atmospheric patterns of pollen dispersal. In addition, meteorological variables were included in the modeling, together with spatial interpolation, to allow the definition of a spatial model of the Pollen Index from the main olive cultivation areas in the Mediterranean region. The results show marked differences with respect to the dispersal patterns associated to the altitudinal gradient. The findings indicate that areas located at an altitude above 300ma.s.l. receive greater amounts of olive pollen from shorter-distance pollen sources (maximum influence, 27km) with respect to areas lower than 300ma.s.l. (maximum influence, 59km).

Immunochemical comparison of the allergenic potency of spores and mycelium of Cladosporium cladosporioides extracts by a nitrocellulose electroblotting technique.

BACKGROUND: The lack of well standardized or characterized extracts that contain the relevant allergens of the appropriate fungus is resulting in a high heterogeneity of the commercial preparation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Immunochemical detection of the allergens composition of spore and mycelium of C. cladosporioides was studied by electroblotting using sera from Cladosporium allergic patients and 125 I- anti- human IgE. A MW range of allergens between 16 to 88 KDa was identified. The most important with a MW of 16, 20,30, 39, 43, 50, 60 and 88 KDa. RESULTS: The allergenic composition of spore and mycelium looked very similar. However, partial or total inhibition of the serum with a conidial or mycelial extract demonstrated that the total concentration of allergens (particulary 20 and 60 KDa molecules) was higher in the conidium than in the mycelium. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicated that conidium and mycelium contained the same allergenic determinants but at different concentration in the two propagule. Results with 50 % inhibited sera demonstrated also that the total concentration of allergens was higher in the conidium than in the mycelium.

Immunochemical comparison of the allergenic potency of spores and mycelium of cladosporium cladosporioides extracts by a nitrocellulose electroblotting technique / Comparación inmunoquímica de la potencia alergénica de los extractos de esporas y mecilio del cladosporium cladosporioides por una técnica de eletroblotting en nitrocelulosa

Background: The lack of well standardized or characterized extracts that contain the relevant allergens of the appropriate fungus is resulting in a high heterogeneity of the commercial preparation. Material and methods: Immunochemical detection of the allergens composition of spore and mycelium of C. cladosporioides was studied by electroblotting using sera from Cladosporium allergic patients and 125 I- anti- human IgE. A MW range of allergens between 16 to 88 KDa was identified. The most important with a MW of 16, 20,30, 39, 43, 50, 60 and 88 KDa. Results: The allergenic composition of spore and mycelium looked very similar. However, partial or total inhibition of the serum with a conidial or mycelial extract demonstrated that the total concentration of allergens (particulary 20 and 60 KDa molecules) was higher in the conidium than in the mycelium. Conclusions: These results indicated that conidium and mycelium contained the same allergenic determinants but at different concentration in the two propagule. Results with 50 % inhibited sera demonstrated also that the total concentration of allergens was higher in the conidium than in the mycelium

Antecedentes: La falta de extractos estandarizados o caracterizados que contienen alergenos relevantes de componentes fúngicos, da como resultado una elevada heterogeneidad de los preparados comerciales. Material and methods. La detección inmunoquímica de la composición alergénica de las esporas y del micelio de C. Cladosporioides ha sido estudiada por el método del electroblotting usando sueros procedentes de pacientes alérgicos a Cladosporium y anti-IgE humano marcado con Yodo 125. El peso molecular de los alergenos identificados fue situado entre 16 y 88 Kda. Los más importantes con un peso molecular de 16, 20, 30, 39, 43, 50, 60 y 88 Kda. Resultados: La composición alergénica detectada en las espora y el micelio ha sido idéntica. Sin embargo, la inhibición parcial o total del suero con extractos de esporas o micelios ha demostrado que la dosis de alergenos (especialmente de 20 y 60 KDa) ha sido más alta en las esporas que en el micelio. Conclusiones: Estos resultados indican que las esporas y los micelios contienen los mismos determinantes alergénicos pero a diferente concentración en ambos extractos. Con un 50% de inhibición sérica, la concentración de alergenos fue más elevada para las esporas que para los milecelios

Comparison of the allergenic potency of spores and mycelium of Cladosporium.

The allergenic potency of spore and mycelium extracts of Cladosporium was estimated by RAST, RAST inhibition and PCA tests. Spores contained a concentration of allergens higher than mycelia. Results of PCA tests suggested that spores contained specific allergens. However, in a comparative study of extracts from different species of Cladosporium animal and human models gave different estimates of the allergenic potency of the different species. In spite of these variations it was shown that extracts from spores of Cladosporium contained the highest amount of Cladosporium allergens.

Comparison of the allergenic potency of spores and mycelium of Cladosporium

The allergenic potency of spore and mycelium extracts of Cladosporium was estimated by RAST, RAST inhibition and PCA tests. Spores contained a concentration of allergens higher than mycelia. Results of PCA tests suggested that spores contained specific allergens. However, in a comparative study of extracts from different species of Cladosporium animal and human models gave different estimates of the allergenic potency of the different species. In spite of these variations it was shown that extracts from spores of Cladosporium contained the highest amount of Cladosporium allergens

El potencial alergénico de los extractos de las esporas y del micelio de Cladosporium ha sido valorado por los métodos de RAST, RAST inhibición y PCA. Las esporas contienen una dosis de alérgenos más elevada que el micelio. Los resultados del ensayo PCA sugieren que las esporas contienen alérgenos específicos. Sin embargo, en un estudio comparativo de los extractos procedentes de diferentes especies de Cladosporium, el modelo animal y humano han dado diferentes estimaciones del poder alérgenico entre las distintas especies. Aunque haya variaciones, se ha demostrado que los extractos de las esporas de Cladosporium contienen una cantidad más elevada de los alérgenos

Release of allergens from Cladosporium conidia.

Sugars and proteins are released from conidia of Cladosporium cladosporioides after incubation in various chemical solutions. Ultrastructural studies demonstrated that these exudates contained components from the outer wall layer and from internal compartments (inner wall and cytoplasm). The allergenicity of the extracts was evaluated using a passive cutaneous anaphylaxis test and radioallergosorbent test. Spore exudates obtained with Tris, NaOH or NaCl displayed the highest allergenic potency. The amount of allergens released was dependent on the incubation media, on the extraction time and on the spore concentration.

Ultrastructure and composition of the conidial wall of Cladosporium cladosporioides.

Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the conidial wall of Cladosporium cladosporioides was constituted of an electron-lucent inner layer and an electron-dense outer layer. The conidial surface is covered by rodlet fascicles which can be removed by ultrasonication. Ultrastructurally, the 100,000 X g ultracentrifugation pellet of the ultrasonicated extract containing the rodlet layer appeared as an amorphous structure containing probably internal wall material anchoring the rodlet fascicles on the wall. The total conidial wall was essentially composed of beta(1----3)glucans and melanin. Lipid, salt, and galactan represented the main components of the 100,000 X g ultracentrifugation pellet of the ultrasonicated extract. Cladosporium cladosporioides produced melanin via the pentaketide pathway. Tricyclazole inhibited melanin synthesis but did not interfere with allergen production. This suggests that the wall components associated with melanin are not allergenic factors.

Nasal allergy to fungi in guinea pigs.

Sensitized guinea pigs produced specific IgG and IgE antibodies toward Cladosporium and Alternaria. In presence of fungal extracts, nasal mast cells degranulate. Ultrastructural modifications of the cells during degranulation have been established. The ciliary epithelium and the ciliary beating are not affected by fungal allergens.