Clinical and immunological response to oral and subcutaneous immunotherapy with grass pollen extracts. A prospective study.

Forty children allergic to grass pollen were divided into two groups, and matched by their serum IgE antibody concentrations to grasses. For two preseasonal treatment periods one group received immunotherapy with an alum adsorbed grass pollen extract, while the second group was treated orally with an aqueous extract of the same allergens. The patients' postseasonal self evaluation as well as the mean symptom scores calculated from symptom diaries indicate, that oral treatment is significantly less effective in controlling seasonal allergic symptoms than subcutaneous immunotherapy. During oral treatment neither an increase of specific serum IgG antibodies, nor a suppression of the seasonal increase in specific serum IgE antibodies could be demonstrated.

City spore concentrations in the European Economic Community (EEC). IV. Summer weed pollen (Rumex, Plantago, Chenopodiaceae, Artemisia), 1976 and 1977.

This paper describes observations on the airborne pollen concentrations of four anemophilous weeds of very common occurrence in Western Europe, viz. Rumex spp .(sorrel and dock), Plantago spp. (plantain), Chenopodiaceae (goosefoot family) and Artemisia spp. (mugwort). Comparative results are recorded from London, Leiden, Brussels, Munich and Marseilles for the summers of 1976 and 1977 and this study is one of a series involving international collaboration between workers in cities of the European Economic Community. The literature on the clinical significance of summer weed pollen is reviewed and it is concluded that the pollen of Artemisia is likely to be of importance in areas where the weed is of common occurrence in late summer. The pollen of the other summer weeds is unlikely to be important, but may contribute to the problems of the pollen sensitive patient under exceptional circumstances.

[The interaction TAT - an auxiliary method in the diagnosis of marital crises]. / Der Interaktions-TAT--ein Hilfsmittel zur Erfassung von Ehekrisen.

Out of the need for an auxiliary method, that provides a comprehension representation of matrimonial relationships, the classical TAT procedure was modified to an interactional TAT. The question, whether this modified procedure is suitable as a diagnostic tool, was cause to analyse an extremely selected group of persons. The confirmation of hypotheses deducted from theoretical considerations, permits the statement, that the modified TAT procedure (Interactional-TAT) represents a superior instrument in matrimonial therapy. Its particular merit consists in the variability of tables and the various possibilities of adjustment to the special problem, the therapist is faced with.

[Beclomethasone dipropionate seasonal allergic rhinitis treatment of children. A double blind cross over study (author's transl)]. / Beclometason dipropionat bei Rhinitis pollinosa im Kindesalter. Eine gekreuzte Doppelblindstudie.

In a double-blind cross over study on 25 children with seasonal allergic rhinitis treatment with Beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP)-Aerosol was found more effective than placebo. 17 children preferred BDP, two the placebo-aerosol, while 6 had no preferrence. During a period with very high pollen concentrations in the air the effect of BDP-therapy was no longer sufficient.

[Grass pollen in Munich air. Preparations for a forecast (author's transl)]. / Graspollengehalt der Luft von München. Vorbereitung für eine Vorhersage.

To forecast pollen concentrations of the air of a particular place the following data of the area in question should be known: The basic grass pollen content of the air from volumetric measurements made during several years and its mean seasonal changes; the mean daily grass pollen content of 1 m3 of air and its changes, especially at the beginning of the main grass pollen season; the influence of temperature, humidity, precipitation and wind speed on the grass pollen content; weather forecast of the day for which the pollen forecast is to be made and the grass pollen content of the previous day; the composition of the grass flora in the surroundings and the state of flowering of the main components of the grass flora. These data for the city of Munich are presented and discussed. In addition the grass pollen content in the air during the summers of 1975 and 1976 is compared with allergic complaints of 96 and 45 persons respectively.

[Spore concentration in cities of the European Economic Community. II. Spores of Cladosporium and Alternaria]. / Sporenkonzentrationen in städten der Europäischen gemeinschaft (EG). II. Cladosporium- und Alternaria-Sporen

A comparative account of Alternaria and Cladosporium spore concentrations in four cities in the European Economic Community (EEC), is given for the years 1973 and 1974. Sijilar volumetric air sampling methods were employed in each of the cities, and concentrations of 3000 Cladosporium spores and 100 Alternaria spores/m3 were taken as the threshold concentrations for clinical significance. With Cladosporium, although highest concentrations were observed in Brussels, the differences were less marked at the other stations. Highest Alternaria concentrations were reocrded in Brussels, followed by London, Leiden and Munich. During the 2 years studied, the average number of days with spore concentrations greater than the threshold value for Cladosporium were 59 in Brussels, 36 in Leiden, 38 in London and 46 in Munich and for Alternaria, 48 in Brussels, 13 in Leiden, 33 in London and 5 in Munich.

[Fungal spore content of the air in Munich (author's transl)]. / Pilzsporengehalt der Luft in München

A volumetric determination of seasonal variations in the fungal spore content of the air was carried out with Andersen samplers (culture plates) in the center of the City of Munich and 2.4 km (1.5 miles) west of it. Cladosporium spores were predominant (60% altogether), followed by those of penicillium and aspergillus. Up to 22 different genera were counted among the varieties. The spores of cladosporium, penicillium, aspergillus, botrytis, thysanophora and epicoccum are twice as densely represented 2.4 km west of the center of the City than in the center. The most frequent types of spore during the course of the year are described.

City spore concentrations in the European Economic Community (EEC) I. Grass pollen, 1973.

Although clinical reports on the prevalence of summer hay fever in different parts of Europe have been published, comparative studies on atmospheric pollen concentrations appear to have been rarely undertaken. The present paper describes observations on the grass pollen content of the air at Bologna, Brussels, London, Munich and Strasbourg and is the first of a series involving international collaboration between workers in cities of the European Economic Community.