Ambrosia pollen grains in aeroplankton of Krakow and their role in pollen allergy of this region

Krystyna Obtulowicz¹, Kazimierz Szczepanek², Dorota Myszkowska²

Department of Industrial Allergy, Collegium Medicum of the Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
Department of Palaeobotany, Institute of Botany of the Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland

Published in: R. Spiewak (Editor): "Pollens and Pollinosis: Current Problems". Institute of Agricultural Medicine, Lublin (Poland) 1995, page 56.

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Po Polsku

The increasing problem of allergy to Ambrosia in Europe creates the necessity of evaluation of risk to it in our country for the purpose of introduction of suitable prevention.

Objective

The aim of the study was the estimation of the presence and concentration of Ambrosia pollen grains in aeroplankton of Krakow and the assessment of the prevalence of allergy to them among the patients suffering from pollen allergy.

Material and Methods

Microscopic analyses of aeroplankton were done using volumetric method of air sampling (Burkard trap) in the years 1991-1993 and using gravimetric method in the years 1982-1993.

Results

The presence of Ambrosia pollen grains in aeroplankton was confirmed with both methods each year in the period from the mid of August till the end of October. The highest concentration of Ambrosia pollen grains did not exceed a few grains/m³/24 hrs in the volumetric method and 90 grains/m³/year in the gravimetric method of sampling. Many years of our observation allow also to state that in spite of fluctuations in concentration of Ambrosia pollen grains in aeroplankton, in each successive year there was not observed an increase tendency.

The studies of patients with pollen allergy (mainly to grasses and weeds) without symptoms of allergy in the period of presence of Ambrosia pollen grains in aeroplankton, revealed positive skin prick test to Ambrosia elatior (Bencard) in 42% of cases.

Conclusions

The results of the experiences indicate that a problem of allergy to Ambrosia is till now neither increasing nor general in Krakow region. Nevertheless, it seems that almost 50% of patients suffering from pollen allergy in this region is sensitive to Ambrosia and may reveal symptoms when the concentration of its grains in aeroplankton increases.