- Email: [email protected]
Analysis of Airborne Pollen in Lebanon
56
An Analysis of Peak Grass Pollination in New York and New Jersey W. Li, B. Silverman, A. T. Schneider; Long Island College Hospital, Brooklyn, NY. RATIONALE: Pre-seasonal precipitation has been found to correlate with grass pollen levels.1 In this study, we compared the historical trends of grass pollen data from seven collection stations in New York and New Jersey with temperature and precipitation levels. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was done on data from the National Allergy Bureau from March 14, 2005 to July 30, 2009. We examined monthly precipitation, average temperature, and the number of dry days preceding peak grass pollen count obtained from Accuweather.com. RESULTS: Peak grass pollen counts increased four fold (20/m3 to 80/m3) from 2008 to 2009 in Brooklyn. The peak in 2009 was preceded by a period of 15 dry days. In Newark, the peak grass pollen level increased 24 fold (10/ m3 to 238/m3) from 2007 and 2008, preceded by a period of 18 dry days. Variations in average temperature or pre-seasonal precipitation at these two stations during this time were not sufficient to explain the increases. No significant variations in peak grass pollen counts at other stations. The grass pollen level tends to peak earlier in Brooklyn (May) compared to upstate areas such as Albany and Olean (June). CONCLUSIONS: There were variations in timing and magnitude of peak grass pollen counts among seven counting stations throughout New York and New Jersey. Temperature and pre-seasonal precipitation were not associated with peak grass pollen count, whereas a prolonged period of dry days was found to be linked to a peak in grass pollen at two collecting stations, a trend previously demonstrated for tree pollens.2
57
Oak Pollen Season in the Midwestern US M. Dhar, J. Portnoy, C. Barnes; Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO. RATIONALE: Oak trees are native to the Midwestern US and produce abundant pollen in the spring. Oak pollen production and dispersal is sensitive to dramatic changes in weather common to this region. To determine the impact weather has on initiation and intensity of oak pollen season we conducted the following studies. METHODS: A Burkard spore trap was positioned atop a 5-story hospital building in the urban core of Kansas City. The collector operated from February 1997 to November 2009. Pollen counts were generated daily and reported as pollen grains per cubic meter of air. Pollen counters were certified by the National Allergy Bureau. The beginning of oak pollen season was determined to be the day on which 1% of total seasonal oak pollen was collected. RESULTS: The mean day for the beginning of oak pollen season during these 13 years was April 1st. The earliest date for oak pollen season was March 9th (68 days into the year) and the latest was April 19th (109 days into the year). The mean starting date for 1997 - 2009 was 91.6 +11 days. The median length of oak pollen season was 40 days and the median final day of oak pollen season was May 11. The mean first day of oak pollen season for 1997 to 2001 was 96.2 days and for 2005 to 2009 it was 89.4 days. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate a trend to an earlier oak pollen season in the Midwestern US possibly due to climatic change.
58
Analysis of Airborne Pollen in Lebanon Z. E. Baz1, M. Nader2, F. Zaitoun3, R. Dana4, C. Irani5, A. Hejjaoui6, E. Kairallah7, B. Abi Salloum2, S. Abi Dib Antoun2, S. Chreiteh8, H. Maatouk8, B. Andary9; 1St George Hospital University Medical Center- University of Balamand, Beirut, LEBANON, 2Institute of the Environment- University of Balamand, Tripoli, LEBANON, 3Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Center, Beirut, LEBANON, 4Essex Chemie AG, Beirut, LEBANON, 5Hotel Dieu de France University St Joseph, Beirut, LEBANON, 6Makassed General Hospital, Beirut, LEBANON, 7Abou Jaoudeh Hospital, Beirut, LEBANON, 8Hammoud Hospital University Medical Center, Saida, LEBANON, 9American University Agricultural Research and Educational Center, Bekaa, LEBANON. RATIONALE: Pollens are an important cause of respiratory allergies. Data regarding them is scarce in the Middle East and has never been assessed in Lebanon. A national aerobiology project was launched to develop a pollen calendar and set basis for future studies in the field of allergy. METHODS: Pollen sampling was performed with four volumetric Hirst samplers (VPPS, Lanzoni) located in the North, the South, the Bekaa Valley and Beirut the capital. Pollen identification and counting was gathered from all the sites in order to put together a pollen calendar for the whole year. RESULTS: A total of 81169 pollen grains/m3 were collected during the period extending from January to December 2008. The pollen of 36 plant species/genera/family were identified. The peak pollen concentration was in March. Arboreal plants constituted 83.5% of the total pollen grains, nonarboreal plants accounted for 9.7% and grasses 2.5%. The highest airborne presence was for the Cupressaceae (55.4%) followed by the Oleaceae (7.6%), Fagaceae (4.4%) and Salicaceae (4.1%). Among allergenically significant weeds, the most notable was Urticaceae (3.7%). It was present at high concentration eleven out of twelve months of the year. Poaceae constitutes one percent of the total pollen concentration. Its high season starts in March and ends in September. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first aerobiologic pollen data recorded in Lebanon at the national level. The results show that the Lebanese are exposed to high concentration of allergenic pollen throughout the year.
59
Genetic Analysis of Airborne Aspergillus fumigatus Isolates M. A. Buchheim, N. Abel, E. Levetin; University of Tulsa, Tulsa,
OK. RATIONALE: Ottawa County in northeast Oklahoma has a 13.4% asthma rate, while the average for the state is 7.2%. Possible risk factors include a large compost facility, and a previous study found elevated Aspergillus fumigatus levels close to the facility. The present project was undertaken to estimate exposure to A. fumigatus in the county and determine the source using DNA fingerprinting. METHODS: Air samples were collected for 15 weeks from 5 towns in Ottawa County using Anderson N-6 samplers with malt extract agar (MEA). Control samples were collected from Tulsa, 144 km upwind. Cultures were incubated at 458 C for 48 hours and all A. fumigatus identified and subcultured. Samples of compost were purchased from the facility and dilution plated onto MEA. Plates were incubated and A. fumigatus subcultured as above. DNA was isolated from all isolates using EZNA kit, amplified by PCR, and fingerprinted using STRAf2A microsatellite oligonucleotide pair. RESULTS: Aspergillus fumigatus was isolated 7 times during air sampling in Ottawa County with concentrations as high as 277 colony forming units (CFU)/m3; in Tulsa, the fungus was isolated 5 times with the peak of 70 CFU/m3. Concentrations of A. fumigatus in compost were variable with a mean of 6975 CFU/g. Microsatellite analysis identified 9 distinct strains from compost and air samples. Strains isolated from Ottawa County air samples were also isolated from compost. By contrast, Tulsa isolates were genetically different from Ottawa air or compost samples. CONCLUSIONS: Sensitive individuals in Ottawa County are exposed to Aspergillus fumigatus spores originating from a local compost facility.
SATURDAY
Abstracts AB15
J ALLERGY CLIN IMMUNOL VOLUME 125, NUMBER 2
An Analysis of Peak Grass Pollination in New York and New Jersey W. Li, B. Silverman, A. T. Schneider; Long Island College Hospital, Brooklyn, NY. RATIONALE: Pre-seasonal precipitation has been found to correlate with grass pollen levels.1 In this study, we compared the historical trends of grass pollen data from seven collection stations in New York and New Jersey with temperature and precipitation levels. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was done on data from the National Allergy Bureau from March 14, 2005 to July 30, 2009. We examined monthly precipitation, average temperature, and the number of dry days preceding peak grass pollen count obtained from Accuweather.com. RESULTS: Peak grass pollen counts increased four fold (20/m3 to 80/m3) from 2008 to 2009 in Brooklyn. The peak in 2009 was preceded by a period of 15 dry days. In Newark, the peak grass pollen level increased 24 fold (10/ m3 to 238/m3) from 2007 and 2008, preceded by a period of 18 dry days. Variations in average temperature or pre-seasonal precipitation at these two stations during this time were not sufficient to explain the increases. No significant variations in peak grass pollen counts at other stations. The grass pollen level tends to peak earlier in Brooklyn (May) compared to upstate areas such as Albany and Olean (June). CONCLUSIONS: There were variations in timing and magnitude of peak grass pollen counts among seven counting stations throughout New York and New Jersey. Temperature and pre-seasonal precipitation were not associated with peak grass pollen count, whereas a prolonged period of dry days was found to be linked to a peak in grass pollen at two collecting stations, a trend previously demonstrated for tree pollens.2
57
Oak Pollen Season in the Midwestern US M. Dhar, J. Portnoy, C. Barnes; Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO. RATIONALE: Oak trees are native to the Midwestern US and produce abundant pollen in the spring. Oak pollen production and dispersal is sensitive to dramatic changes in weather common to this region. To determine the impact weather has on initiation and intensity of oak pollen season we conducted the following studies. METHODS: A Burkard spore trap was positioned atop a 5-story hospital building in the urban core of Kansas City. The collector operated from February 1997 to November 2009. Pollen counts were generated daily and reported as pollen grains per cubic meter of air. Pollen counters were certified by the National Allergy Bureau. The beginning of oak pollen season was determined to be the day on which 1% of total seasonal oak pollen was collected. RESULTS: The mean day for the beginning of oak pollen season during these 13 years was April 1st. The earliest date for oak pollen season was March 9th (68 days into the year) and the latest was April 19th (109 days into the year). The mean starting date for 1997 - 2009 was 91.6 +11 days. The median length of oak pollen season was 40 days and the median final day of oak pollen season was May 11. The mean first day of oak pollen season for 1997 to 2001 was 96.2 days and for 2005 to 2009 it was 89.4 days. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate a trend to an earlier oak pollen season in the Midwestern US possibly due to climatic change.
58
Analysis of Airborne Pollen in Lebanon Z. E. Baz1, M. Nader2, F. Zaitoun3, R. Dana4, C. Irani5, A. Hejjaoui6, E. Kairallah7, B. Abi Salloum2, S. Abi Dib Antoun2, S. Chreiteh8, H. Maatouk8, B. Andary9; 1St George Hospital University Medical Center- University of Balamand, Beirut, LEBANON, 2Institute of the Environment- University of Balamand, Tripoli, LEBANON, 3Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Center, Beirut, LEBANON, 4Essex Chemie AG, Beirut, LEBANON, 5Hotel Dieu de France University St Joseph, Beirut, LEBANON, 6Makassed General Hospital, Beirut, LEBANON, 7Abou Jaoudeh Hospital, Beirut, LEBANON, 8Hammoud Hospital University Medical Center, Saida, LEBANON, 9American University Agricultural Research and Educational Center, Bekaa, LEBANON. RATIONALE: Pollens are an important cause of respiratory allergies. Data regarding them is scarce in the Middle East and has never been assessed in Lebanon. A national aerobiology project was launched to develop a pollen calendar and set basis for future studies in the field of allergy. METHODS: Pollen sampling was performed with four volumetric Hirst samplers (VPPS, Lanzoni) located in the North, the South, the Bekaa Valley and Beirut the capital. Pollen identification and counting was gathered from all the sites in order to put together a pollen calendar for the whole year. RESULTS: A total of 81169 pollen grains/m3 were collected during the period extending from January to December 2008. The pollen of 36 plant species/genera/family were identified. The peak pollen concentration was in March. Arboreal plants constituted 83.5% of the total pollen grains, nonarboreal plants accounted for 9.7% and grasses 2.5%. The highest airborne presence was for the Cupressaceae (55.4%) followed by the Oleaceae (7.6%), Fagaceae (4.4%) and Salicaceae (4.1%). Among allergenically significant weeds, the most notable was Urticaceae (3.7%). It was present at high concentration eleven out of twelve months of the year. Poaceae constitutes one percent of the total pollen concentration. Its high season starts in March and ends in September. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first aerobiologic pollen data recorded in Lebanon at the national level. The results show that the Lebanese are exposed to high concentration of allergenic pollen throughout the year.
59
Genetic Analysis of Airborne Aspergillus fumigatus Isolates M. A. Buchheim, N. Abel, E. Levetin; University of Tulsa, Tulsa,
OK. RATIONALE: Ottawa County in northeast Oklahoma has a 13.4% asthma rate, while the average for the state is 7.2%. Possible risk factors include a large compost facility, and a previous study found elevated Aspergillus fumigatus levels close to the facility. The present project was undertaken to estimate exposure to A. fumigatus in the county and determine the source using DNA fingerprinting. METHODS: Air samples were collected for 15 weeks from 5 towns in Ottawa County using Anderson N-6 samplers with malt extract agar (MEA). Control samples were collected from Tulsa, 144 km upwind. Cultures were incubated at 458 C for 48 hours and all A. fumigatus identified and subcultured. Samples of compost were purchased from the facility and dilution plated onto MEA. Plates were incubated and A. fumigatus subcultured as above. DNA was isolated from all isolates using EZNA kit, amplified by PCR, and fingerprinted using STRAf2A microsatellite oligonucleotide pair. RESULTS: Aspergillus fumigatus was isolated 7 times during air sampling in Ottawa County with concentrations as high as 277 colony forming units (CFU)/m3; in Tulsa, the fungus was isolated 5 times with the peak of 70 CFU/m3. Concentrations of A. fumigatus in compost were variable with a mean of 6975 CFU/g. Microsatellite analysis identified 9 distinct strains from compost and air samples. Strains isolated from Ottawa County air samples were also isolated from compost. By contrast, Tulsa isolates were genetically different from Ottawa air or compost samples. CONCLUSIONS: Sensitive individuals in Ottawa County are exposed to Aspergillus fumigatus spores originating from a local compost facility.
SATURDAY
Abstracts AB15
J ALLERGY CLIN IMMUNOL VOLUME 125, NUMBER 2