Pub Date : 2024-07-26DOI: 10.3390/aerobiology2030004
Mattia Fragola, Dalila Peccarrisi, S. Romano, G. Quarta, L. Calcagnile
This study aims to investigate the seasonal variation and source identification of fluorescent aerosol particles at the monitoring site of the University of Salento in Lecce, southeastern Italy. Utilizing a wideband integrated bioaerosol sensor (WIBS), this research work analyzes data from two specific monitoring days: one in winter (10 January 2024), marked by significant transport of anthropogenic particles from Eastern Europe, and another in early spring (6 March 2024), characterized by marine aerosol sources and occasional desert dust. This study focuses on the seven WIBS particle categories (A, B, C, AB, AC, BC, ABC), which exhibited distinct characteristics between the two days, indicating different aerosol compositions. Winter measurements revealed a predominance of fine-mode particles, particularly soot and bacteria. In contrast, spring measurements showed larger particles, including fungal spores, pollen fragments, and mineral dust. Fluorescence intensity data further emphasized an increase in biological and organic airborne material in early spring. These results highlight the dynamic nature of fluorescent aerosol sources in the Mediterranean region and the necessity of continuous monitoring for air quality assessments. By integrating WIBS measurements with air mass back-trajectories, this study effectively identifies fluorescent aerosol sources and their seasonal impacts, offering valuable insights into the environmental and health implications of aerosol variability in the investigated Mediterranean area.
{"title":"Assessing Characteristics and Variability of Fluorescent Aerosol Particles: Comparison of Two Case Studies in Southeastern Italy Using a Wideband Integrated Bioaerosol Sensor","authors":"Mattia Fragola, Dalila Peccarrisi, S. Romano, G. Quarta, L. Calcagnile","doi":"10.3390/aerobiology2030004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/aerobiology2030004","url":null,"abstract":"This study aims to investigate the seasonal variation and source identification of fluorescent aerosol particles at the monitoring site of the University of Salento in Lecce, southeastern Italy. Utilizing a wideband integrated bioaerosol sensor (WIBS), this research work analyzes data from two specific monitoring days: one in winter (10 January 2024), marked by significant transport of anthropogenic particles from Eastern Europe, and another in early spring (6 March 2024), characterized by marine aerosol sources and occasional desert dust. This study focuses on the seven WIBS particle categories (A, B, C, AB, AC, BC, ABC), which exhibited distinct characteristics between the two days, indicating different aerosol compositions. Winter measurements revealed a predominance of fine-mode particles, particularly soot and bacteria. In contrast, spring measurements showed larger particles, including fungal spores, pollen fragments, and mineral dust. Fluorescence intensity data further emphasized an increase in biological and organic airborne material in early spring. These results highlight the dynamic nature of fluorescent aerosol sources in the Mediterranean region and the necessity of continuous monitoring for air quality assessments. By integrating WIBS measurements with air mass back-trajectories, this study effectively identifies fluorescent aerosol sources and their seasonal impacts, offering valuable insights into the environmental and health implications of aerosol variability in the investigated Mediterranean area.","PeriodicalId":72116,"journal":{"name":"Aerobiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141799445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-07DOI: 10.3390/aerobiology2010002
Helena Ribeiro, Paula Castro, I. Abreu
Our study aimed to quantify the pollen trapped by the seeds and relate it with the airborne pollen concentrations. Individual Populus spp. tuft-like seeds were sampled while suspended twice a day in 2017 and 2018 during the seed dispersal season. The seeds were submitted to laboratory treatment for pollen extraction, which was quantified using an optical microscope. Airborne pollen was monitored using a seven-day Hirst-type volumetric spore sampler. A correlation analysis was performed between the airborne pollen, the pollen on the seeds, and the meteorological parameters. A total of 26 pollen grains/mg was counted in the airborne tuft-like seeds, with 26 different taxa being identified, compared with the 18 pollen taxa identified in the airborne samples. Quercus, Poaceae, Urticaceae, Pinus, and Platanus were the most frequent pollen found on the seeds, while in the atmosphere, pollen from Urticaceae, Quercus, and Cupressaceae were the most representative. A tendency of higher pollen concentrations found in the afternoon samples, both airborne and on the seeds, was observed. Correlations between the meteorological parameters and pollen concentration found airborne and in the seeds were overall not significant. Thus, airborne poplar tuft-like seeds can trap and transport pollen, most of which has been recognized to induce respiratory allergies.
{"title":"Characterization of the Pollen Trapped by Populus L. Seeds during the Dispersion Season","authors":"Helena Ribeiro, Paula Castro, I. Abreu","doi":"10.3390/aerobiology2010002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/aerobiology2010002","url":null,"abstract":"Our study aimed to quantify the pollen trapped by the seeds and relate it with the airborne pollen concentrations. Individual Populus spp. tuft-like seeds were sampled while suspended twice a day in 2017 and 2018 during the seed dispersal season. The seeds were submitted to laboratory treatment for pollen extraction, which was quantified using an optical microscope. Airborne pollen was monitored using a seven-day Hirst-type volumetric spore sampler. A correlation analysis was performed between the airborne pollen, the pollen on the seeds, and the meteorological parameters. A total of 26 pollen grains/mg was counted in the airborne tuft-like seeds, with 26 different taxa being identified, compared with the 18 pollen taxa identified in the airborne samples. Quercus, Poaceae, Urticaceae, Pinus, and Platanus were the most frequent pollen found on the seeds, while in the atmosphere, pollen from Urticaceae, Quercus, and Cupressaceae were the most representative. A tendency of higher pollen concentrations found in the afternoon samples, both airborne and on the seeds, was observed. Correlations between the meteorological parameters and pollen concentration found airborne and in the seeds were overall not significant. Thus, airborne poplar tuft-like seeds can trap and transport pollen, most of which has been recognized to induce respiratory allergies.","PeriodicalId":72116,"journal":{"name":"Aerobiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139796857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-07DOI: 10.3390/aerobiology2010002
Helena Ribeiro, Paula Castro, I. Abreu
Our study aimed to quantify the pollen trapped by the seeds and relate it with the airborne pollen concentrations. Individual Populus spp. tuft-like seeds were sampled while suspended twice a day in 2017 and 2018 during the seed dispersal season. The seeds were submitted to laboratory treatment for pollen extraction, which was quantified using an optical microscope. Airborne pollen was monitored using a seven-day Hirst-type volumetric spore sampler. A correlation analysis was performed between the airborne pollen, the pollen on the seeds, and the meteorological parameters. A total of 26 pollen grains/mg was counted in the airborne tuft-like seeds, with 26 different taxa being identified, compared with the 18 pollen taxa identified in the airborne samples. Quercus, Poaceae, Urticaceae, Pinus, and Platanus were the most frequent pollen found on the seeds, while in the atmosphere, pollen from Urticaceae, Quercus, and Cupressaceae were the most representative. A tendency of higher pollen concentrations found in the afternoon samples, both airborne and on the seeds, was observed. Correlations between the meteorological parameters and pollen concentration found airborne and in the seeds were overall not significant. Thus, airborne poplar tuft-like seeds can trap and transport pollen, most of which has been recognized to induce respiratory allergies.
{"title":"Characterization of the Pollen Trapped by Populus L. Seeds during the Dispersion Season","authors":"Helena Ribeiro, Paula Castro, I. Abreu","doi":"10.3390/aerobiology2010002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/aerobiology2010002","url":null,"abstract":"Our study aimed to quantify the pollen trapped by the seeds and relate it with the airborne pollen concentrations. Individual Populus spp. tuft-like seeds were sampled while suspended twice a day in 2017 and 2018 during the seed dispersal season. The seeds were submitted to laboratory treatment for pollen extraction, which was quantified using an optical microscope. Airborne pollen was monitored using a seven-day Hirst-type volumetric spore sampler. A correlation analysis was performed between the airborne pollen, the pollen on the seeds, and the meteorological parameters. A total of 26 pollen grains/mg was counted in the airborne tuft-like seeds, with 26 different taxa being identified, compared with the 18 pollen taxa identified in the airborne samples. Quercus, Poaceae, Urticaceae, Pinus, and Platanus were the most frequent pollen found on the seeds, while in the atmosphere, pollen from Urticaceae, Quercus, and Cupressaceae were the most representative. A tendency of higher pollen concentrations found in the afternoon samples, both airborne and on the seeds, was observed. Correlations between the meteorological parameters and pollen concentration found airborne and in the seeds were overall not significant. Thus, airborne poplar tuft-like seeds can trap and transport pollen, most of which has been recognized to induce respiratory allergies.","PeriodicalId":72116,"journal":{"name":"Aerobiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139856748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-12-13DOI: 10.3390/aerobiology1020008
M. C. Mantoani, Thaysla Beluco Quintino, A. P. Emygdio, Lara C. C. Guerra, Maria A. F. S. Dias, Pedro L. S. Dias, Fábio Rodrigues, D. M. Silva, Valter Batista Duo Filho, A. Rudke, Ronaldo Adriano Alves, Leila Droprinchinski Martins, Jorge Alberto Martins, Alexandre Siqueira, S. M. Boschilia, Federico Carotenuto, Tina Šantl-Temkiv, Vaughan Phillips, Fábio L. T. Gonçalves
Although studies focusing on the physicochemical properties of aerosols/clouds have not been performed extensively, even less attention has been given to hailstones and their biological composition. Here, we present the results of the physical and microbiological characterisation of 20 hailstones collected in Southern Brazil originating from two storms. Nearly half of the hailstones (9 out of 20, or 45%) did not contain any cultivable bacteria or fungi. A total of 18 bacterial species were found in hailstones from both storms, and the genus Bacillus was found in 5 out of the 11 hailstones, with Bacillus cereus being the most frequent bacterial species. Fungi, on the other hand, were only present in four hailstones derived from a single storm, with three fungal species identified and Epicoccum nigrum being the most frequent fungal species. HYSPLIT modelling indicated the different flow of air masses from the Amazon and Pacific Ocean that contributed to the loading of microorganisms found in the clouds at the time of the two storms. Our findings suggest that ca. 50% of hailstones have cultivable bacterial or fungal species, which came mainly from the local landscape with intrusions of air masses derived from the Amazon and the Pacific Ocean.
{"title":"Biological Characterisation of Hailstones from Two Storms in South Brazil","authors":"M. C. Mantoani, Thaysla Beluco Quintino, A. P. Emygdio, Lara C. C. Guerra, Maria A. F. S. Dias, Pedro L. S. Dias, Fábio Rodrigues, D. M. Silva, Valter Batista Duo Filho, A. Rudke, Ronaldo Adriano Alves, Leila Droprinchinski Martins, Jorge Alberto Martins, Alexandre Siqueira, S. M. Boschilia, Federico Carotenuto, Tina Šantl-Temkiv, Vaughan Phillips, Fábio L. T. Gonçalves","doi":"10.3390/aerobiology1020008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/aerobiology1020008","url":null,"abstract":"Although studies focusing on the physicochemical properties of aerosols/clouds have not been performed extensively, even less attention has been given to hailstones and their biological composition. Here, we present the results of the physical and microbiological characterisation of 20 hailstones collected in Southern Brazil originating from two storms. Nearly half of the hailstones (9 out of 20, or 45%) did not contain any cultivable bacteria or fungi. A total of 18 bacterial species were found in hailstones from both storms, and the genus Bacillus was found in 5 out of the 11 hailstones, with Bacillus cereus being the most frequent bacterial species. Fungi, on the other hand, were only present in four hailstones derived from a single storm, with three fungal species identified and Epicoccum nigrum being the most frequent fungal species. HYSPLIT modelling indicated the different flow of air masses from the Amazon and Pacific Ocean that contributed to the loading of microorganisms found in the clouds at the time of the two storms. Our findings suggest that ca. 50% of hailstones have cultivable bacterial or fungal species, which came mainly from the local landscape with intrusions of air masses derived from the Amazon and the Pacific Ocean.","PeriodicalId":72116,"journal":{"name":"Aerobiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139004838","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-12-01Epub Date: 2023-08-03DOI: 10.3390/aerobiology1010001
Chad J Roy
It is simultaneously professionally humbling and an absolute pleasure to be associated with the launch of a new open access journal, with added emphasis in a scientific field as rich and diverse as aerobiology [...]
{"title":"<i>Aerobiology</i>-A New Open Access Journal.","authors":"Chad J Roy","doi":"10.3390/aerobiology1010001","DOIUrl":"10.3390/aerobiology1010001","url":null,"abstract":"It is simultaneously professionally humbling and an absolute pleasure to be associated with the launch of a new open access journal, with added emphasis in a scientific field as rich and diverse as aerobiology [...]","PeriodicalId":72116,"journal":{"name":"Aerobiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10471951/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10154208","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-11-13DOI: 10.3390/aerobiology1020007
Elena Hunter, Benita Percival, Daniela T. Eberl, Samuel J. White
UV irradiation has shown potential in reducing bacterial and viral loadings. This is a pilot study aimed at investigating the antimicrobial effect of a novel pulsed UVA and UVC technology on bacteria and human coronavirus 229E. The selection of these microorganisms is based on their relevance and significance in real-world scenarios. This study consists of independent experiments for the assessment of antibacterial and antiviral activities by using a lawn plate approach, measuring levels of adenine triphosphate (ATP) in three bacterial strains, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Bacillus subtilis, and performing Median Tissue Culture Infectious Dose (TCID50) of HCoV-229E on MRC-5 human lung fibroblast cell line. The results demonstrated the ability of UVA and UVC irradiation to reduce levels of adenine triphosphate (ATP) over a 12 h exposure period in all three bacterial strains, comparative to dark and artificial/natural light conditions using non-pulsing experiments. In addition to this, there was a reduction in colonies exposed to UVA and UVC pulsing experiments for E. coli K12 and S. epidermis compared to bacteria stored in artificial/natural and dark conditions. Furthermore, using dose-dependent modelling, it was demonstrated that the cross-contamination risk was reduced by 50% using E. coli as a typical model. Regarding the antiviral assay, the results showed that TCID50 of HCoV-229E was reduced after the first cycle of UV engagement. No cytopathic effect (CPE) was detected after three cycles using Protocol 1. The findings showed that UVA and UVC were effective under the conditions outlined in this paper for a reduction in the number of bacteria with additional applications to viruses.
{"title":"A Pilot Study to Investigate the Antimicrobial Activity of Pulsed UVA and UVC","authors":"Elena Hunter, Benita Percival, Daniela T. Eberl, Samuel J. White","doi":"10.3390/aerobiology1020007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/aerobiology1020007","url":null,"abstract":"UV irradiation has shown potential in reducing bacterial and viral loadings. This is a pilot study aimed at investigating the antimicrobial effect of a novel pulsed UVA and UVC technology on bacteria and human coronavirus 229E. The selection of these microorganisms is based on their relevance and significance in real-world scenarios. This study consists of independent experiments for the assessment of antibacterial and antiviral activities by using a lawn plate approach, measuring levels of adenine triphosphate (ATP) in three bacterial strains, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Bacillus subtilis, and performing Median Tissue Culture Infectious Dose (TCID50) of HCoV-229E on MRC-5 human lung fibroblast cell line. The results demonstrated the ability of UVA and UVC irradiation to reduce levels of adenine triphosphate (ATP) over a 12 h exposure period in all three bacterial strains, comparative to dark and artificial/natural light conditions using non-pulsing experiments. In addition to this, there was a reduction in colonies exposed to UVA and UVC pulsing experiments for E. coli K12 and S. epidermis compared to bacteria stored in artificial/natural and dark conditions. Furthermore, using dose-dependent modelling, it was demonstrated that the cross-contamination risk was reduced by 50% using E. coli as a typical model. Regarding the antiviral assay, the results showed that TCID50 of HCoV-229E was reduced after the first cycle of UV engagement. No cytopathic effect (CPE) was detected after three cycles using Protocol 1. The findings showed that UVA and UVC were effective under the conditions outlined in this paper for a reduction in the number of bacteria with additional applications to viruses.","PeriodicalId":72116,"journal":{"name":"Aerobiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136346789","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Avian influenza virus (AIV) can have a serious impact on both human and animal health. In this study, we used an environmentally controlled chamber and a hemagglutination assay (HA) to evaluate the ability of membrane-less electrolyzed water (MLEW) spraying to inactivate H6N1 AIV aerosol. MLEW was generated by electrolyzing sodium chloride solution, and then sprayed into the chamber at free available chlorine (FAC) concentrations of 50, 100 and 200 mg/L by means of high-pressure air pumping to inactivate airborne H6N1 AIV aerosols individually. The results showed that MLEW spraying effectively neutralized H6N1 AIV aerosol. In addition, the virucidal ability of MLEW increased as the FAC concentration increased. Five minutes after MLEW spraying at an FAC concentration of 200 mg/L, the H6N1 viral HA titer decreased from 24 to 20. Our work provides important new evidence of the value of spraying with MLEW disinfectant to protect against AIV, which may be further applied for indoor decontamination purposes to promote animal and human health.
{"title":"Inactivation of Avian Influenza Virus Aerosol Using Membrane-Less Electrolyzed Water Spraying","authors":"Shinhao Yang, Chi-Yu Chuang, Hsiao-Chien Huang, Wei Fang","doi":"10.3390/aerobiology1020006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/aerobiology1020006","url":null,"abstract":"Avian influenza virus (AIV) can have a serious impact on both human and animal health. In this study, we used an environmentally controlled chamber and a hemagglutination assay (HA) to evaluate the ability of membrane-less electrolyzed water (MLEW) spraying to inactivate H6N1 AIV aerosol. MLEW was generated by electrolyzing sodium chloride solution, and then sprayed into the chamber at free available chlorine (FAC) concentrations of 50, 100 and 200 mg/L by means of high-pressure air pumping to inactivate airborne H6N1 AIV aerosols individually. The results showed that MLEW spraying effectively neutralized H6N1 AIV aerosol. In addition, the virucidal ability of MLEW increased as the FAC concentration increased. Five minutes after MLEW spraying at an FAC concentration of 200 mg/L, the H6N1 viral HA titer decreased from 24 to 20. Our work provides important new evidence of the value of spraying with MLEW disinfectant to protect against AIV, which may be further applied for indoor decontamination purposes to promote animal and human health.","PeriodicalId":72116,"journal":{"name":"Aerobiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136022900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-09-21DOI: 10.3390/aerobiology1010005
Maria Cid del Prado, Osvaldo Zarco-Cid del Prado, Hilda Adriana Guerrero-Parra, Karla Elisa Juárez Contreras
Allergic diseases are a global health problem; their prevalence has increased in recent decades. The presence of allergenic airborne pollen is one of the main triggers of this disorder. For this reason, the first pollen calendar of Toluca City was developed. Daily and bihourly airborne pollen samplings with a Hirst-type Burkard Trap were performed from August 2009 to December 2013. Annual Pollen Integral (APIn), Main Pollen Season (MPS) and Diurnal Pattern (DP) were determined. Relationships with meteorological parameters were investigated. Tree pollen grain presented higher concentrations, with Cupressaceae as the most abundant taxon (52.6%), followed by Alnus sp. (13.3%), Pinaceae (7.3%), Fraxinus sp. (6.0%) and Quercus sp. (2.0%), which presented a definite seasonality. Urticaceae (3.7%) was the most abundant herbaceous pollen taxon registered. The DP obtained showed that pollen grains of most taxa are frequently found after midday and afternoon. Regression models showed the influence of environmental variables on all taxa. This study will allow us the enhancement of preventive actions and improvement of the regional design of patient tests.
{"title":"Airborne Pollen Calendar of Toluca City, Mexico","authors":"Maria Cid del Prado, Osvaldo Zarco-Cid del Prado, Hilda Adriana Guerrero-Parra, Karla Elisa Juárez Contreras","doi":"10.3390/aerobiology1010005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/aerobiology1010005","url":null,"abstract":"Allergic diseases are a global health problem; their prevalence has increased in recent decades. The presence of allergenic airborne pollen is one of the main triggers of this disorder. For this reason, the first pollen calendar of Toluca City was developed. Daily and bihourly airborne pollen samplings with a Hirst-type Burkard Trap were performed from August 2009 to December 2013. Annual Pollen Integral (APIn), Main Pollen Season (MPS) and Diurnal Pattern (DP) were determined. Relationships with meteorological parameters were investigated. Tree pollen grain presented higher concentrations, with Cupressaceae as the most abundant taxon (52.6%), followed by Alnus sp. (13.3%), Pinaceae (7.3%), Fraxinus sp. (6.0%) and Quercus sp. (2.0%), which presented a definite seasonality. Urticaceae (3.7%) was the most abundant herbaceous pollen taxon registered. The DP obtained showed that pollen grains of most taxa are frequently found after midday and afternoon. Regression models showed the influence of environmental variables on all taxa. This study will allow us the enhancement of preventive actions and improvement of the regional design of patient tests.","PeriodicalId":72116,"journal":{"name":"Aerobiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136236527","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-09-20DOI: 10.3390/aerobiology1010004
Tanmoy Basak, Kashinath Bhattacharya
Background: It has been recognized from the early days of allergology that aerobiological investigations have an important role to play in the development of respiratory allergic diseases. An increasing number of allergic complaints occurred among the atopic population during the blooming season of Kans grass, Saccharum spontaneum (SS), an obnoxious weed growing in and around suburban West Bengal. The present study aimed to identify SS pollen as a potential aero allergen through aerobiological, clinical, statistical, and biochemical analyses. Methods: An aerobiological survey was conducted for 2 years followed by a clinical diagnosis of 134 local atopic patients suffering from a respiratory allergy by a standard questionnaire survey and the skin prick test (SPT) using SS antigens. The antigenic protein profile was analyzed by SDS-PAGE and the allergizing potential of this pollen was investigated by an in vitro enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to recognize the presence of the sero-reactive proteins which were the suspected cause of the respiratory allergy. A Box-plot and regression analysis were performed to establish the significance of clinical data. Results: SS pollen was found to evoke about 70.14% sensitivity among the atopic population causing early spring hay fever, allergic rhinitis, and seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. A regression analysis for the pollen antigen for estimating the total IgE value of a patient’s sera from their specific IgE value was a novel approach by our study. The antigenic extract of pollen resolved into more than 15 distinct protein bands ranging from 14.4 to 116 kDa, some of which were found to be glycosylated. The results showed that SS pollen has a significant presence in the atmosphere, which may trigger an allergic response in immunocompromised patients. Conclusions: This is, to our knowledge, the first attempt to identify allergens from Kans pollen causing seasonal pollinosis among the Indian atopic population using an immuno-clinical approach.
{"title":"Seasonal Pollinosis Due to Kans Grass Pollen: Prevalence and Immune-Biochemical Approach","authors":"Tanmoy Basak, Kashinath Bhattacharya","doi":"10.3390/aerobiology1010004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/aerobiology1010004","url":null,"abstract":"Background: It has been recognized from the early days of allergology that aerobiological investigations have an important role to play in the development of respiratory allergic diseases. An increasing number of allergic complaints occurred among the atopic population during the blooming season of Kans grass, Saccharum spontaneum (SS), an obnoxious weed growing in and around suburban West Bengal. The present study aimed to identify SS pollen as a potential aero allergen through aerobiological, clinical, statistical, and biochemical analyses. Methods: An aerobiological survey was conducted for 2 years followed by a clinical diagnosis of 134 local atopic patients suffering from a respiratory allergy by a standard questionnaire survey and the skin prick test (SPT) using SS antigens. The antigenic protein profile was analyzed by SDS-PAGE and the allergizing potential of this pollen was investigated by an in vitro enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to recognize the presence of the sero-reactive proteins which were the suspected cause of the respiratory allergy. A Box-plot and regression analysis were performed to establish the significance of clinical data. Results: SS pollen was found to evoke about 70.14% sensitivity among the atopic population causing early spring hay fever, allergic rhinitis, and seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. A regression analysis for the pollen antigen for estimating the total IgE value of a patient’s sera from their specific IgE value was a novel approach by our study. The antigenic extract of pollen resolved into more than 15 distinct protein bands ranging from 14.4 to 116 kDa, some of which were found to be glycosylated. The results showed that SS pollen has a significant presence in the atmosphere, which may trigger an allergic response in immunocompromised patients. Conclusions: This is, to our knowledge, the first attempt to identify allergens from Kans pollen causing seasonal pollinosis among the Indian atopic population using an immuno-clinical approach.","PeriodicalId":72116,"journal":{"name":"Aerobiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136314687","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-09-18DOI: 10.3390/aerobiology1010003
Malek Alaouie, Gera M. Troisi, Najat Saliba, Houssam Shaib, Rayan Hajj, Rawan El Hajj, Sandy Malak, Carla Jakarian, Wiaam Jaafar
Over 1 million Syrian refugees have fled war to seek asylum in Lebanon. The population has been placed in substandard conditions which could lead to adverse health effects, particularly in vulnerable subgroups, notably due to evident chronic dampness and inadequate ventilation potentially leading to indoor mold growth. To investigate whether the types and conditions of Syrian refugee shelters influence indoor mold populations, a cross-sectional indoor environmental study was performed in 4 provinces of Lebanon. Accordingly, a total of 80 refugee households and 20 host population households (baseline) were selected. Mold air sampling and moisture measurements of shelter material were performed in residential, non-residential, and non-permanent shelters. Results revealed that although non-residential shelters had the highest mean total indoor count (1112 CFU/m3), Aspergillus, Stachybotrys, and Penicillium spp. were strongly associated with non-permanent shelters (p < 0.001). Additionally, occupancy was found to be strongly associated with Cladosporium (p < 0.05), Ulocladium (p < 0.05), and Stachybotrys spp. (p < 0.001). As for shelter conditions, the highest total indoor count (1243 CFU/m3) was reported in unfinished structures. These findings suggest that shelter category, condition and occupancy significantly influence indoor mold concentrations, increasing respiratory health risks for Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
{"title":"Fungal Exposure and Shelter Assessment in Syrian Refugee Settlements in Lebanon","authors":"Malek Alaouie, Gera M. Troisi, Najat Saliba, Houssam Shaib, Rayan Hajj, Rawan El Hajj, Sandy Malak, Carla Jakarian, Wiaam Jaafar","doi":"10.3390/aerobiology1010003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/aerobiology1010003","url":null,"abstract":"Over 1 million Syrian refugees have fled war to seek asylum in Lebanon. The population has been placed in substandard conditions which could lead to adverse health effects, particularly in vulnerable subgroups, notably due to evident chronic dampness and inadequate ventilation potentially leading to indoor mold growth. To investigate whether the types and conditions of Syrian refugee shelters influence indoor mold populations, a cross-sectional indoor environmental study was performed in 4 provinces of Lebanon. Accordingly, a total of 80 refugee households and 20 host population households (baseline) were selected. Mold air sampling and moisture measurements of shelter material were performed in residential, non-residential, and non-permanent shelters. Results revealed that although non-residential shelters had the highest mean total indoor count (1112 CFU/m3), Aspergillus, Stachybotrys, and Penicillium spp. were strongly associated with non-permanent shelters (p < 0.001). Additionally, occupancy was found to be strongly associated with Cladosporium (p < 0.05), Ulocladium (p < 0.05), and Stachybotrys spp. (p < 0.001). As for shelter conditions, the highest total indoor count (1243 CFU/m3) was reported in unfinished structures. These findings suggest that shelter category, condition and occupancy significantly influence indoor mold concentrations, increasing respiratory health risks for Syrian refugees in Lebanon.","PeriodicalId":72116,"journal":{"name":"Aerobiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135155596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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