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Simunovic M, Boyle J, Erbas B, Baker P, Davies JM. Airborne grass pollen and thunderstorms influence emergency department asthma presentations in a subtropical climate. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 236:116754. [PMID: 37500047 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Grass pollen is considered a major outdoor aeroallergen source worldwide. It is proposed as a mechanism for thunderstorm asthma that lightning during thunderstorms promotes electrical rupture of pollen grains that leads to allergic airway inflammation. However, most evidence of associations between grass pollen and asthma comes from temperate regions. The objective of this study was to investigate short-term associations between airborne grass pollen exposure and asthma emergency department presentations in a subtropical population. METHODS Episode level public hospital presentations for asthma (2016-2020) were extracted for greater Brisbane, Australia, from Queensland Health's Emergency Data Collection. Concentrations of airborne pollen were determined prospectively using a continuous flow volumetric impaction sampler. Daily time series analysis using a generalised additive mixed model were applied to determine associations between airborne grass pollen concentrations, and lightning count data, with asthma presentations. RESULTS Airborne grass pollen showed an association with asthma presentations in Brisbane; a significant association was detected from same day exposure to three days lag. Grass pollen exposure increased daily asthma presentations up to 48.5% (95% CI: 12%, 85.9%) in female children. Lightning did not modify the effect of grass pollen on asthma presentations, however a positive association was detected between cloud-to-cloud lightning strikes and asthma presentations (P = 0.048). CONCLUSION Airborne grass pollen exposure may exacerbate symptoms of asthma requiring urgent medical care of children and adults in a subtropical climate. This knowledge indicates an opportunity for targeted management of respiratory allergic disease to reduce patient and health system burden. For the first time, an influence of lightning on asthma was detected in this context. The outcomes support a need for continued pollen monitoring and surveillance of thunderstorm asthma risk in subtropical regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Simunovic
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Immunity and Infection Control, Centre for Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Justin Boyle
- Australian E-Health Research Centre, The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Bircan Erbas
- School of Psychology and Public Health, LaTrobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Philip Baker
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Janet M Davies
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Immunity and Infection Control, Centre for Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Office of Research, Metro North Hospital and Health Services, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
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2
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Dramburg S, Hilger C, Santos AF, de Las Vecillas L, Aalberse RC, Acevedo N, Aglas L, Altmann F, Arruda KL, Asero R, Ballmer-Weber B, Barber D, Beyer K, Biedermann T, Bilo MB, Blank S, Bosshard PP, Breiteneder H, Brough HA, Bublin M, Campbell D, Caraballo L, Caubet JC, Celi G, Chapman MD, Chruszcz M, Custovic A, Czolk R, Davies J, Douladiris N, Eberlein B, Ebisawa M, Ehlers A, Eigenmann P, Gadermaier G, Giovannini M, Gomez F, Grohman R, Guillet C, Hafner C, Hamilton RG, Hauser M, Hawranek T, Hoffmann HJ, Holzhauser T, Iizuka T, Jacquet A, Jakob T, Janssen-Weets B, Jappe U, Jutel M, Kalic T, Kamath S, Kespohl S, Kleine-Tebbe J, Knol E, Knulst A, Konradsen JR, Korošec P, Kuehn A, Lack G, Le TM, Lopata A, Luengo O, Mäkelä M, Marra AM, Mills C, Morisset M, Muraro A, Nowak-Wegrzyn A, Nugraha R, Ollert M, Palosuo K, Pastorello EA, Patil SU, Platts-Mills T, Pomés A, Poncet P, Potapova E, Poulsen LK, Radauer C, Radulovic S, Raulf M, Rougé P, Sastre J, Sato S, Scala E, Schmid JM, Schmid-Grendelmeier P, Schrama D, Sénéchal H, Traidl-Hoffmann C, Valverde-Monge M, van Hage M, van Ree R, Verhoeckx K, Vieths S, Wickman M, Zakzuk J, Matricardi PM, Hoffmann-Sommergruber K. EAACI Molecular Allergology User's Guide 2.0. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2023; 34 Suppl 28:e13854. [PMID: 37186333 DOI: 10.1111/pai.13854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Since the discovery of immunoglobulin E (IgE) as a mediator of allergic diseases in 1967, our knowledge about the immunological mechanisms of IgE-mediated allergies has remarkably increased. In addition to understanding the immune response and clinical symptoms, allergy diagnosis and management depend strongly on the precise identification of the elicitors of the IgE-mediated allergic reaction. In the past four decades, innovations in bioscience and technology have facilitated the identification and production of well-defined, highly pure molecules for component-resolved diagnosis (CRD), allowing a personalized diagnosis and management of the allergic disease for individual patients. The first edition of the "EAACI Molecular Allergology User's Guide" (MAUG) in 2016 rapidly became a key reference for clinicians, scientists, and interested readers with a background in allergology, immunology, biology, and medicine. Nevertheless, the field of molecular allergology is moving fast, and after 6 years, a new EAACI Taskforce was established to provide an updated document. The Molecular Allergology User's Guide 2.0 summarizes state-of-the-art information on allergen molecules, their clinical relevance, and their application in diagnostic algorithms for clinical practice. It is designed for both, clinicians and scientists, guiding health care professionals through the overwhelming list of different allergen molecules available for testing. Further, it provides diagnostic algorithms on the clinical relevance of allergenic molecules and gives an overview of their biology, the basic mechanisms of test formats, and the application of tests to measure allergen exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Dramburg
- Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Immunology and Critical Care Medicine, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christiane Hilger
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Alexandra F Santos
- Department of Women and Children's Health (Pediatric Allergy), School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Children's Allergy Service, Evelina London, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Rob C Aalberse
- Sanquin Research, Dept Immunopathology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Landsteiner Laboratory, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nathalie Acevedo
- Institute for Immunological Research, University of Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, Colombia
| | - Lorenz Aglas
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, Paris Lodron University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Friedrich Altmann
- Department of Chemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karla L Arruda
- Department of Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Sao Paulo, Brasil, Brazil
| | - Riccardo Asero
- Ambulatorio di Allergologia, Clinica San Carlo, Paderno Dugnano, Italy
| | - Barbara Ballmer-Weber
- Klinik für Dermatologie und Allergologie, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Domingo Barber
- Institute of Applied Molecular Medicine Nemesio Diez (IMMAND), Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad San Pablo CEU, CEU Universities, Madrid, Spain
- RETIC ARADyAL and RICORS Enfermedades Inflamatorias (REI), Madrid, Spain
| | - Kirsten Beyer
- Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Immunology and Critical Care Medicine, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tilo Biedermann
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy Biederstein, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Maria Beatrice Bilo
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
- Allergy Unit Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Ospedali Riuniti di Ancona, Torrette, Italy
| | - Simon Blank
- Center of Allergy and Environment (ZAUM), Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine and Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Philipp P Bosshard
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Heimo Breiteneder
- Department of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Helen A Brough
- Department of Women and Children's Health (Pediatric Allergy), School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Children's Allergy Service, Evelina London, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Merima Bublin
- Department of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dianne Campbell
- Department of Allergy and Immunology, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Luis Caraballo
- Institute for Immunological Research, University of Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, Colombia
| | - Jean Christoph Caubet
- Pediatric Allergy Unit, Department of Child and Adolescent, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Giorgio Celi
- Centro DH Allergologia e Immunologia Clinica ASST- MANTOVA (MN), Mantova, Italy
| | | | - Maksymilian Chruszcz
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Adnan Custovic
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Rebecca Czolk
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Janet Davies
- Queensland University of Technology, Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Herston, Queensland, Australia
- Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Emergency Operations Centre, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nikolaos Douladiris
- Allergy Department, 2nd Paediatric Clinic, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Bernadette Eberlein
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy Biederstein, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Motohiro Ebisawa
- Clinical Research Center for Allergy and Rheumatology, National Hospital Organization, Sagamihara National Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Anna Ehlers
- Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Immunology and Dermatology/ Allergology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Philippe Eigenmann
- Pediatric Allergy Unit, Department of Child and Adolescent, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Gabriele Gadermaier
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, Paris Lodron University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Mattia Giovannini
- Allergy Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Meyer Children's University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Francisca Gomez
- Allergy Unit IBIMA-Hospital Regional Universitario de Malaga, Malaga, Spain
- Spanish Network for Allergy research RETIC ARADyAL, Malaga, Spain
| | - Rebecca Grohman
- NYU Langone Health, Department of Internal Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Carole Guillet
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christine Hafner
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital St. Poelten, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, St. Poelten, Austria
| | - Robert G Hamilton
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael Hauser
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, Paris Lodron University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Thomas Hawranek
- Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Paracelsus Private Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Hans Jürgen Hoffmann
- Institute for Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Respiratory Diseases and Allergy, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Tomona Iizuka
- Laboratory of Protein Science, Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Alain Jacquet
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Thilo Jakob
- Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Medical Center, Justus Liebig University Gießen, Gießen, Germany
| | - Bente Janssen-Weets
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Odense Research Center for Anaphylaxis, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Uta Jappe
- Division of Clinical and Molecular Allergology, Priority Research Area Asthma and Allergy, Research Center Borstel, Borstel, Germany
- Leibniz Lung Center, Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Member of the German Center for Lung Research, Germany
- Interdisciplinary Allergy Outpatient Clinic, Dept. of Pneumology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Marek Jutel
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Tanja Kalic
- Department of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital St. Poelten, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, St. Poelten, Austria
| | - Sandip Kamath
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Molecular Allergy Research Laboratory, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Sabine Kespohl
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr- Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Jörg Kleine-Tebbe
- Allergy & Asthma Center Westend, Outpatient Clinic and Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Edward Knol
- Department of Immunology and Dermatology/ Allergology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - André Knulst
- Department of Immunology and Dermatology/ Allergology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jon R Konradsen
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Pediatric Allergy and Pulmonology Unit at Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Peter Korošec
- University Clinic of Respiratory and Allergic Diseases Golnik, Golnik, Slovenia
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Annette Kuehn
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Gideon Lack
- Department of Women and Children's Health (Pediatric Allergy), School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Children's Allergy Service, Evelina London, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Thuy-My Le
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Immunology and Dermatology/ Allergology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Andreas Lopata
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Molecular Allergy Research Laboratory, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Olga Luengo
- RETIC ARADyAL and RICORS Enfermedades Inflamatorias (REI), Madrid, Spain
- Allergy Section, Internal Medicine Department, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mika Mäkelä
- Division of Allergy, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Pediatric Department, Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Clare Mills
- Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | | | - Antonella Muraro
- Food Allergy Referral Centre, Department of Woman and Child Health, Padua University Hospital, Padua, Italy
| | - Anna Nowak-Wegrzyn
- Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Hassenfeld Children's Hospital, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Roni Nugraha
- Molecular Allergy Research Laboratory, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Aquatic Product Technology, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Markus Ollert
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Odense Research Center for Anaphylaxis, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Kati Palosuo
- Department of Allergology, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Sarita Ulhas Patil
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Departments of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Thomas Platts-Mills
- Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | | | - Pascal Poncet
- Institut Pasteur, Immunology Department, Paris, France
- Allergy & Environment Research Team Armand Trousseau Children Hospital, APHP, Paris, France
| | - Ekaterina Potapova
- Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Immunology and Critical Care Medicine, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lars K Poulsen
- Allergy Clinic, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Copenhagen University Hospital-Herlev and Gentofte, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Christian Radauer
- Department of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Suzana Radulovic
- Department of Women and Children's Health (Pediatric Allergy), School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Children's Allergy Service, Evelina London, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Monika Raulf
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr- Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Pierre Rougé
- UMR 152 PharmaDev, IRD, Université Paul Sabatier, Faculté de Pharmacie, Toulouse, France
| | - Joaquin Sastre
- Allergy Service, Fundación Jiménez Díaz; CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES); Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sakura Sato
- Allergy Department, 2nd Paediatric Clinic, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Enrico Scala
- Clinical and Laboratory Molecular Allergy Unit - IDI- IRCCS, Fondazione L M Monti Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Johannes M Schmid
- Department of Respiratory Diseases and Allergy, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Peter Schmid-Grendelmeier
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Christine Kühne Center for Allergy Research and Education CK-CARE, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Denise Schrama
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Hélène Sénéchal
- Allergy & Environment Research Team Armand Trousseau Children Hospital, APHP, Paris, France
| | - Claudia Traidl-Hoffmann
- Christine Kühne Center for Allergy Research and Education CK-CARE, Davos, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Marcela Valverde-Monge
- Allergy Service, Fundación Jiménez Díaz; CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES); Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marianne van Hage
- Department of Medicine Solna, Division of Immunology and Allergy, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ronald van Ree
- Department of Experimental Immunology and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kitty Verhoeckx
- Department of Immunology and Dermatology/ Allergology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Stefan Vieths
- Division of Allergology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany
| | - Magnus Wickman
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Josefina Zakzuk
- Institute for Immunological Research, University of Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, Colombia
| | - Paolo M Matricardi
- Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Immunology and Critical Care Medicine, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Shahunja KM, Sly PD, Begum T, Biswas T, Mamun A. Family, neighborhood and psychosocial environmental factors and their associations with asthma in Australia: a systematic review and Meta-analysis. J Asthma 2021; 59:2539-2552. [PMID: 34905415 DOI: 10.1080/02770903.2021.2018707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Various associations between different environmental exposures and asthma have been reported in different countries and populations. We aimed to investigate the associations between family, neighborhood and psychosocial environmental factors and asthma-symptoms in Australia by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES We analyzed the primary research studies conducted in Australia across multiple databases, including PubMed, EMBASE and Scopus, published between 2000 and 2020. STUDY SELECTIONS The reviews and analyses focused on the overall association of different environmental exposures with the exacerbation of asthma-symptoms or asthma-related hospital visits. Quality-effect meta-analysis was done to estimate the pooled odds ratio for different environmental exposures for asthma-symptoms. RESULTS Among the 4799 unique published articles found, 46 were included here for systematic review and 28 for meta-analysis. Our review found that psychosocial factors, including low socioeconomic condition, maternal depression, mental stress, ethnicity, and discrimination, are associated with asthma-symptoms. Pooled analysis was conducted on family and neighborhood environmental factors and revealed that environmental tobacco smoking (ETS) (OR 1·69, 95% CI 1·19-2·38), synthetic bedding (OR 1·91, 95% CI 1·48-2·47) and gas heaters (OR 1·40, 95% CI 1·12-1·76) had significant overall associations with asthma-symptoms in Australia. CONCLUSION Although the studies were heterogeneous, both systematic review and meta-analysis found several psychosocial and family environmental exposures significantly associated with asthma-symptoms. Further study to identify their causal relationship and modification may reduce asthma-symptoms in the Australian population.
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Affiliation(s)
- K M Shahunja
- Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.,The Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Peter D Sly
- Child Health Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Tahmina Begum
- Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Tuhin Biswas
- Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Abdullah Mamun
- Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.,The Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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Simunovic M, Boyle J, Baker P, Erbas B, Davies JM. Spatiotemporal characteristics of asthma emergency department presentations in diverse geographical and climatic regions, Queensland, Australia. Emerg Med Australas 2020; 33:623-630. [PMID: 33230971 DOI: 10.1111/1742-6723.13687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Sudden acute episodes of asthma exacerbation are often treated by hospital EDs. It is hypothesised that determinants of acute asthma would differ across geographic regions. The objective of the present study was to detail seasonality, trends and spatiotemporal patterns of asthma ED presentations across Queensland (QLD), Australia, a state covering 1.8 million square kilometres, spanning multiple climates. METHODS Six years of routinely collected data (2012 to 2017) from 28 major QLD public hospitals were extracted from Queensland Health's Emergency Data Collection. The dataset contained individual, episode-level asthma-like diagnoses of ED presentations. Seasonality and trends of acute asthma were assessed through multiplicative time-series analysis. RESULTS The study consisted of 2192 days with a total of 65 012 asthma ED presentations in QLD. The 6-year average daily incidence rate was 270 asthma ED presentations per 100 000 population. The highest morbidity of asthma ED presentations occurred during the southern hemisphere winter months. Children showed a higher incidence rate compared to adults with males experiencing a higher incidence compared to females up until the age of 13, after which an inversion was observed persisting through adulthood. Seasonality of asthma ED presentations differed with latitude across QLD. CONCLUSION Asthma-related ED presentations exhibit spatiotemporal variation across QLD, which appears to be related to climate. Furthermore, aeroallergens and respiratory viruses may be responsible for asthma ED peaks outside the winter period. Socioeconomic status may influence asthma ED presentation rates between regions. This knowledge can guide ongoing management and assist public health policy response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Simunovic
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Justin Boyle
- Australian E-Health Research Centre, The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Philip Baker
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Bircan Erbas
- School of Public Health and Epidemiology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Janet M Davies
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Office of Research, Metro North Hospital and Health Services, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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Davies JM, Berman D, Beggs PJ, Ramón GD, Peter J, Katelaris CH, Ziska LH. Global Climate Change and Pollen Aeroallergens: A Southern Hemisphere Perspective. Immunol Allergy Clin North Am 2020; 41:1-16. [PMID: 33228867 DOI: 10.1016/j.iac.2020.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Climatic change will have an impact on production and release of pollen, with consequences for the duration and magnitude of aeroallergen seasonal exposure and allergic diseases. Evaluations of pollen aerobiology in the southern hemisphere have been limited by resourcing and the density of monitoring sites. This review emphasizes inconsistencies in pollen monitoring methods and metrics used globally. Research should consider unique southern hemisphere biodiversity, climate, plant distributions, standardization of pollen aerobiology, automation, and environmental integration. For both hemispheres, there is a clear need for better understanding of likely influences of climate change and comprehending their impact on pollen-related health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet M Davies
- School of Biomedical Science, Queensland University of Technology, Herston, Queensland 4006, Australia; Office of Research, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Herston, Queensland 4006, Australia.
| | - Dilys Berman
- Allergy and Immunology Unit, University of Cape Town Lung Institute, Cape Town 7700, South Africa
| | - Paul J Beggs
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Germán Darío Ramón
- Hospital Italiano Regional DelSur, Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jonny Peter
- Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, 7700
- PO Box 34560, 7937, South Africa; Allergy and Immunology Unit, University of Cape Town Lung Institute, George Street, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Lewis H Ziska
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
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6
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Simunovic M, Dwarakanath D, Addison-Smith B, Susanto NH, Erbas B, Baker P, Davies JM. Grass pollen as a trigger of emergency department presentations and hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in the subtropics: A systematic review. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 182:109125. [PMID: 32069762 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION It is unknown if high concentration of airborne grass pollen, where subtropical grasses (Chloridoideae and Panicoideae) dominate, is a risk factor for respiratory health. Here we systematically reviewed the association between airborne grass pollen exposure and asthma emergency department (ED) presentations and hospital admissions in subtropical climates. OBJECTIVES A systematic review was performed to identify and summarise studies that reported on respiratory health (asthma ED presentations and hospital admissions) and airborne grass pollen exposure in subtropical climates. METHODS Searches were conducted in: MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL (EBSCO), Embase and Google Scholar databases (1966-2019). Risk of bias was assessed using a validated quality assessment tool. A meta-analysis was planned, however due to the heterogeneity in study design it was determined inappropriate and instead a narrative synthesis was undertaken. RESULTS Nineteen studies were identified for inclusion, with a total of 598,931 asthma ED presentation participants and 36,504 asthma hospital admission participants in six countries (Australia, India, Israel, Italy, Spain, USA). The narrative synthesis found airborne grass pollen appears to have a small and inconsistent increase on asthma ED presentations (judged as: probably little effect n = 5, may have little effect n = 4, no effect n = 2 and uncertain if there is an effect n = 4) and hospital admissions (judged as: probably increase slightly n = 2 probably little effect n = 1, may have a little effect n = 1, no effect n = 3 and we are uncertain if there is an effect n = 4) in the subtropics. Furthermore, the reported effect sizes were small and its clinical relevance may be difficult to discern. CONCLUSION Exposure to airborne grass pollen appears to have a small and inconsistent increase on asthma ED presentations and hospital admissions in the subtropics. These findings are comparable to reported observations from studies undertaken in temperate regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Simunovic
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Divya Dwarakanath
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Beth Addison-Smith
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nugroho H Susanto
- School of Public Health and Epidemiology, LaTrobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bircan Erbas
- School of Public Health and Epidemiology, LaTrobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Philip Baker
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Janet M Davies
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Office of Research, Metro North Hospital and Health Services,Herston, Queensland, Australia
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7
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Green BJ, Levetin E, Horner WE, Codina R, Barnes CS, Filley WV. Landscape Plant Selection Criteria for the Allergic Patient. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY-IN PRACTICE 2018; 6:1869-1876. [PMID: 30097356 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2018.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Patients with pollen-related allergies are concerned about the species within their landscape that provoke their symptoms. Allergists are often asked for guidance but few information sources are available to aid patients in the recognition of allergenic plants and strategies to avoid personal exposure to them. Landscaping and horticultural workers also have few reliable guidance references, and what is available usually extols the virtues of the plants rather than their negative features. The aim of this article was to provide the results of the Landscape Allergen Working Group that was formed by the AAAAI Aerobiology Committee, which aimed to fill these existing knowledge gaps and develop guidance on producing a low-allergenic landscape. Within the context that complete pollen avoidance is unrealistic, the workgroup introduces selection criteria, avoidance strategies, and guidance on low-allergenic plants that could be selected by patients to reduce the overall pollen burden in their landscape environment. Specific focus is placed on entomophilous plants, which require insects as dispersal vectors and generally produce lower quantities of pollen, compared with anemophilous (wind-pollinated) species. Other biological hazards that can be encountered while performing landscaping activities are additionally reviewed and avoidance methods presented with the aim of protecting gardeners, and workers in the landscape and horticulture industries. The guidance presented in this article will ultimately be a helpful resource for the allergist and assist in engaging patients who are seeking to reduce the burden of allergen in their landscape environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett J Green
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, WVa.
| | - Estelle Levetin
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Okla
| | | | | | - Charles S Barnes
- Division of Allergy/Immunology, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Mo
| | - Warren V Filley
- Oklahoma Allergy & Asthma Clinic, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, Okla
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8
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Grewling Ł, Bogawski P, Jenerowicz D, Czarnecka-Operacz M, Šikoparija B, Skjøth CA, Smith M. Mesoscale atmospheric transport of ragweed pollen allergens from infected to uninfected areas. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2016; 60:1493-1500. [PMID: 26842368 PMCID: PMC5050238 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-016-1139-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2015] [Revised: 12/07/2015] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Allergenic ragweed (Ambrosia spp.) pollen grains, after being released from anthers, can be dispersed by air masses far from their source. However, the action of air temperature, humidity and solar radiation on pollen grains in the atmosphere could impact on the ability of long distance transported (LDT) pollen to maintain allergenic potency. Here, we report that the major allergen of Ambrosia artemisiifolia pollen (Amb a 1) collected in ambient air during episodes of LDT still have immunoreactive properties. The amount of Amb a 1 found in LDT ragweed pollen grains was not constant and varied between episodes. In addition to allergens in pollen sized particles, we detected reactive Amb a 1 in subpollen sized respirable particles. These findings suggest that ragweed pollen grains have the potential to cause allergic reactions, not only in the heavily infested areas but, due to LDT episodes, also in the regions unaffected by ragweed populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ł Grewling
- Laboratory of Aeropalynology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
| | - P Bogawski
- Laboratory of Aeropalynology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
- Department of Climatology, Faculty of Geographical and Geological Sciences, Adam Mickiewicz University, Dzięgielowa 27, 61-680, Poznań, Poland
| | - D Jenerowicz
- Department of Dermatology, University of Medical Science, Przybyszewskiego 49, 60-355, Poznań, Poland
| | - M Czarnecka-Operacz
- Department of Dermatology, University of Medical Science, Przybyszewskiego 49, 60-355, Poznań, Poland
| | - B Šikoparija
- Laboratory for Palynology, Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovica 2, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia
- BioSense Institute - Institute for Research and Development of Information Technology in Biosystems, Novi Sad, UK
| | - C A Skjøth
- National Pollen and Aerobiological Research Unit, Institute of Science and the Environment, University of Worcester, Henwick Grove, WR2 6AJ, Worcester, UK
| | - M Smith
- Laboratory of Aeropalynology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
- Institute of Science and the Environment, University of Worcester, Henwick Grove, WR2 6AJ, Worcester, UK
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9
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Medek DE, Beggs PJ, Erbas B, Jaggard AK, Campbell BC, Vicendese D, Johnston FH, Godwin I, Huete AR, Green BJ, Burton PK, Bowman DMJS, Newnham RM, Katelaris CH, Haberle SG, Newbigin E, Davies JM. Regional and seasonal variation in airborne grass pollen levels between cities of Australia and New Zealand. AEROBIOLOGIA 2016; 32:289-302. [PMID: 27069303 PMCID: PMC4826055 DOI: 10.1007/s10453-015-9399-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Although grass pollen is widely regarded as the major outdoor aeroallergen source in Australia and New Zealand (NZ), no assemblage of airborne pollen data for the region has been previously compiled. Grass pollen count data collected at 14 urban sites in Australia and NZ over periods ranging from 1 to 17 years were acquired, assembled and compared, revealing considerable spatiotemporal variability. Although direct comparison between these data is problematic due to methodological differences between monitoring sites, the following patterns are apparent. Grass pollen seasons tended to have more than one peak from tropics to latitudes of 37°S and single peaks at sites south of this latitude. A longer grass pollen season was therefore found at sites below 37°S, driven by later seasonal end dates for grass growth and flowering. Daily pollen counts increased with latitude; subtropical regions had seasons of both high intensity and long duration. At higher latitude sites, the single springtime grass pollen peak is potentially due to a cooler growing season and a predominance of pollen from C3 grasses. The multiple peaks at lower latitude sites may be due to a warmer season and the predominance of pollen from C4 grasses. Prevalence and duration of seasonal allergies may reflect the differing pollen seasons across Australia and NZ. It must be emphasized that these findings are tentative due to limitations in the available data, reinforcing the need to implement standardized pollen-monitoring methods across Australasia. Furthermore, spatiotemporal differences in grass pollen counts indicate that local, current, standardized pollen monitoring would assist with the management of pollen allergen exposure for patients at risk of allergic rhinitis and asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul J Beggs
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Bircan Erbas
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Alison K Jaggard
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Bradley C Campbell
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Don Vicendese
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Fay H Johnston
- Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Ian Godwin
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Alfredo R Huete
- Plant Functional Biology and Climate Change, University of Technology, Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Brett J Green
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Pamela K Burton
- Campbelltown Hospital and the School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney, Macarthur, NSW, Australia
| | - David M J S Bowman
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Rewi M Newnham
- School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Constance H Katelaris
- Campbelltown Hospital and the School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney, Macarthur, NSW, Australia
| | - Simon G Haberle
- Department of Archaeology and Natural History, College of Asia and the Pacific, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Ed Newbigin
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Janet M Davies
- School of Medicine, Translational Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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10
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Davies JM, Beggs PJ, Medek DE, Newnham RM, Erbas B, Thibaudon M, Katelaris CH, Haberle SG, Newbigin EJ, Huete AR. Trans-disciplinary research in synthesis of grass pollen aerobiology and its importance for respiratory health in Australasia. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 534:85-96. [PMID: 25891684 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2014] [Revised: 03/31/2015] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Grass pollen is a major trigger for allergic rhinitis and asthma, yet little is known about the timing and levels of human exposure to airborne grass pollen across Australasian urban environments. The relationships between environmental aeroallergen exposure and allergic respiratory disease bridge the fields of ecology, aerobiology, geospatial science and public health. The Australian Aerobiology Working Group comprised of experts in botany, palynology, biogeography, climate change science, plant genetics, biostatistics, ecology, pollen allergy, public and environmental health, and medicine, was established to systematically source, collate and analyse atmospheric pollen concentration data from 11 Australian and six New Zealand sites. Following two week-long workshops, post-workshop evaluations were conducted to reflect upon the utility of this analysis and synthesis approach to address complex multidisciplinary questions. This Working Group described i) a biogeographically dependent variation in airborne pollen diversity, ii) a latitudinal gradient in the timing, duration and number of peaks of the grass pollen season, and iii) the emergence of new methodologies based on trans-disciplinary synthesis of aerobiology and remote sensing data. Challenges included resolving methodological variations between pollen monitoring sites and temporal variations in pollen datasets. Other challenges included "marrying" ecosystem and health sciences and reconciling divergent expert opinion. The Australian Aerobiology Working Group facilitated knowledge transfer between diverse scientific disciplines, mentored students and early career scientists, and provided an uninterrupted collaborative opportunity to focus on a unifying problem globally. The Working Group provided a platform to optimise the value of large existing ecological datasets that have importance for human respiratory health and ecosystems research. Compilation of current knowledge of Australasian pollen aerobiology is a critical first step towards the management of exposure to pollen in patients with allergic disease and provides a basis from which the future impacts of climate change on pollen distribution can be assessed and monitored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet M Davies
- School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia.
| | - Paul J Beggs
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia.
| | - Danielle E Medek
- Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Rewi M Newnham
- School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.
| | - Bircan Erbas
- School of Public Health and Human Biosciences, La Trobe University, VIC 3086, Australia.
| | - Michel Thibaudon
- European Aerobiology Society, Réseau National de Surveillance Aérobiologique, 11 chemin de la Creuzille, 69690 Brussieu, France.
| | - Connstance H Katelaris
- Campbelltown Hospital, The School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney, Macarthur, NSW, Australia.
| | - Simon G Haberle
- Department of Archaeology and Natural History, College of Asia and the Pacific, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
| | - Edward J Newbigin
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
| | - Alfredo R Huete
- Plant Functional Biology and Climate Change, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
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11
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Timbrell VL, Riebelt L, Simmonds C, Solley G, Smith WB, Mclean-Tooke A, van Nunen S, Smith PK, Upham JW, Langguth D, Davies JM. An immunodiagnostic assay for quantitation of specific IgE to the major pollen allergen component, Pas n 1, of the subtropical Bahia grass. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2015; 165:219-28. [PMID: 25612605 DOI: 10.1159/000369341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2014] [Accepted: 10/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pollens of the Panicoideae subfamily of grasses including Bahia (Paspalum notatum) are important allergen sources in subtropical regions of the world. An assay for specific IgE to the major molecular allergenic component, Pas n 1, of Bahia grass pollen (BaGP) would have immunodiagnostic utility for patients with pollen allergy in these regions. METHODS Biotinylated Pas n 1 purified from BaGP was coated onto streptavidin ImmunoCAPs. Subjects were assessed by clinical history of allergic rhinitis and skin prick test (SPT) to aeroallergens. Serum total, BaGP-specific and Pas n 1-specific IgE were measured. RESULTS Pas n 1 IgE concentrations were highly correlated with BaGP SPT (r = 0.795, p < 0.0001) and BaGP IgE (r = 0.915, p < 0.0001). At 0.23 kU/l Pas n 1 IgE, the diagnostic sensitivity (92.4%) and specificity (93.1%) for the detection of BaGP allergy was high (area under receiver operator curve 0.960, p < 0.0001). The median concentrations of Pas n 1 IgE in non-atopic subjects (0.01 kU/l, n = 67) and those with other allergies (0.02 kU/l, n = 59) showed no inter-group difference, whilst grass pollen-allergic patients with allergic rhinitis showed elevated Pas n 1 IgE (6.71 kU/l, n = 182, p < 0.0001). The inter-assay coefficient of variation for the BaGP-allergic serum pool was 6.92%. CONCLUSIONS Pas n 1 IgE appears to account for most of the BaGP-specific IgE. This molecular component immunoassay for Pas n 1 IgE has potential utility to improve the sensitivity and accuracy of diagnosis of BaGP allergy for patients in subtropical regions.
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12
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Davies JM. Grass pollen allergens globally: the contribution of subtropical grasses to burden of allergic respiratory diseases. Clin Exp Allergy 2015; 44:790-801. [PMID: 24684550 DOI: 10.1111/cea.12317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Grass pollens of the temperate (Pooideae) subfamily and subtropical subfamilies of grasses are major aeroallergen sources worldwide. The subtropical Chloridoideae (e.g. Cynodon dactylon; Bermuda grass) and Panicoideae (e.g. Paspalum notatum; Bahia grass) species are abundant in parts of Africa, India, Asia, Australia and the Americas, where a large and increasing proportion of the world's population abide. These grasses are phylogenetically and ecologically distinct from temperate grasses. With the advent of global warming, it is conceivable that the geographic distribution of subtropical grasses and the contribution of their pollen to the burden of allergic rhinitis and asthma will increase. This review aims to provide a comprehensive synthesis of the current global knowledge of (i) regional variation in allergic sensitivity to subtropical grass pollens, (ii) molecular allergenic components of subtropical grass pollens and (iii) allergic responses to subtropical grass pollen allergens in relevant populations. Patients from subtropical regions of the world show higher allergic sensitivity to grass pollens of Chloridoideae and Panicoideae grasses, than to temperate grass pollens. The group 1 allergens are amongst the allergen components of subtropical grass pollens, but the group 5 allergens, by which temperate grass pollen extracts are standardized for allergen content, appear to be absent from both subfamilies of subtropical grasses. Whilst there are shared allergenic components and antigenic determinants, there are additional clinically relevant subfamily-specific differences, at T- and B-cell levels, between pollen allergens of subtropical and temperate grasses. Differential immune recognition of subtropical grass pollens is likely to impact upon the efficacy of allergen immunotherapy of patients who are primarily sensitized to subtropical grass pollens. The literature reviewed herein highlights the clinical need to standardize allergen preparations for both types of subtropical grass pollens to achieve optimal diagnosis and treatment of patients with allergic respiratory disease in subtropical regions of the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Davies
- Lung and Allergy Research Centre, School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Qld, Australia
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13
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Haberle SG, Bowman DMJS, Newnham RM, Johnston FH, Beggs PJ, Buters J, Campbell B, Erbas B, Godwin I, Green BJ, Huete A, Jaggard AK, Medek D, Murray F, Newbigin E, Thibaudon M, Vicendese D, Williamson GJ, Davies JM. The macroecology of airborne pollen in Australian and New Zealand urban areas. PLoS One 2014; 9:e97925. [PMID: 24874807 PMCID: PMC4038531 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0097925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2013] [Accepted: 04/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The composition and relative abundance of airborne pollen in urban areas of Australia and New Zealand are strongly influenced by geographical location, climate and land use. There is mounting evidence that the diversity and quality of airborne pollen is substantially modified by climate change and land-use yet there are insufficient data to project the future nature of these changes. Our study highlights the need for long-term aerobiological monitoring in Australian and New Zealand urban areas in a systematic, standardised, and sustained way, and provides a framework for targeting the most clinically significant taxa in terms of abundance, allergenic effects and public health burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon G. Haberle
- Department of Archaeology and Natural History, College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Rewi M. Newnham
- School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Fay H. Johnston
- Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Paul J. Beggs
- Department of Environment and Geography, Faculty of Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jeroen Buters
- Center for Allergy and Environment, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Bradley Campbell
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Bircan Erbas
- School of Public Health and Human Biosciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ian Godwin
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Brett J. Green
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America
| | - Alfredo Huete
- Plant Functional Biology and Climate Change, University of Technology, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Alison K. Jaggard
- Department of Environment and Geography, Faculty of Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Danielle Medek
- School of Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Frank Murray
- School of Environmental Science, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Ed Newbigin
- School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michel Thibaudon
- European Aerobiology Society, Réseau National de Surveillance Aérobiologique, Lyon, Rhône-Alpes, France
| | - Don Vicendese
- School of Public Health and Human Biosciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Grant J. Williamson
- School of Plant Science, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Janet M. Davies
- Lung and Allergy Research Centre, School of Medicine, and Translational Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia
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Martin MD, Zimmer EA, Olsen MT, Foote AD, Gilbert MTP, Brush GS. Herbarium specimens reveal a historical shift in phylogeographic structure of common ragweed during native range disturbance. Mol Ecol 2014; 23:1701-16. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2013] [Revised: 01/14/2014] [Accepted: 01/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael D. Martin
- Centre for GeoGenetics; University of Copenhagen; Øster Voldgade 5-7 Copenhagen K 1350 Denmark
- Department of Botany; National Museum of Natural History; MRC 166, Smithsonian Institution; Washington DC 20013-7012 USA
- Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering; Johns Hopkins University; 313 Ames Hall, 3400 North Charles Street Baltimore MD 21218 USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Zimmer
- Department of Botany; National Museum of Natural History; MRC 166, Smithsonian Institution; Washington DC 20013-7012 USA
| | - Morten T. Olsen
- Centre for GeoGenetics; University of Copenhagen; Øster Voldgade 5-7 Copenhagen K 1350 Denmark
| | - Andrew D. Foote
- Centre for GeoGenetics; University of Copenhagen; Øster Voldgade 5-7 Copenhagen K 1350 Denmark
| | - M. Thomas P. Gilbert
- Centre for GeoGenetics; University of Copenhagen; Øster Voldgade 5-7 Copenhagen K 1350 Denmark
| | - Grace S. Brush
- Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering; Johns Hopkins University; 313 Ames Hall, 3400 North Charles Street Baltimore MD 21218 USA
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15
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Bashir MEH, Ward JM, Cummings M, Karrar EE, Root M, Mohamed ABA, Naclerio RM, Preuss D. Dual function of novel pollen coat (surface) proteins: IgE-binding capacity and proteolytic activity disrupting the airway epithelial barrier. PLoS One 2013; 8:e53337. [PMID: 23308195 PMCID: PMC3538775 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0053337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2012] [Accepted: 11/27/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The pollen coat is the first structure of the pollen to encounter the mucosal immune system upon inhalation. Prior characterizations of pollen allergens have focused on water-soluble, cytoplasmic proteins, but have overlooked much of the extracellular pollen coat. Due to washing with organic solvents when prepared, these pollen coat proteins are typically absent from commercial standardized allergenic extracts (i.e., “de-fatted”), and, as a result, their involvement in allergy has not been explored. Methodology/Principal Findings Using a unique approach to search for pollen allergenic proteins residing in the pollen coat, we employed transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to assess the impact of organic solvents on the structural integrity of the pollen coat. TEM results indicated that de-fatting of Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass) pollen (BGP) by use of organic solvents altered the structural integrity of the pollen coat. The novel IgE-binding proteins of the BGP coat include a cysteine protease (CP) and endoxylanase (EXY). The full-length cDNA that encodes the novel IgE-reactive CP was cloned from floral RNA. The EXY and CP were purified to homogeneity and tested for IgE reactivity. The CP from the BGP coat increased the permeability of human airway epithelial cells, caused a clear concentration-dependent detachment of cells, and damaged their barrier integrity. Conclusions/Significance Using an immunoproteomics approach, novel allergenic proteins of the BGP coat were identified. These proteins represent a class of novel dual-function proteins residing on the coat of the pollen grain that have IgE-binding capacity and proteolytic activity, which disrupts the integrity of the airway epithelial barrier. The identification of pollen coat allergens might explain the IgE-negative response to available skin-prick-testing proteins in patients who have positive symptoms. Further study of the role of these pollen coat proteins in allergic responses is warranted and could potentially lead to the development of improved diagnostic and therapeutic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Elfatih H Bashir
- Section of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
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16
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Etto T, de Boer C, Prickett S, Gardner LM, Voskamp A, Davies JM, O'Hehir RE, Rolland JM. Unique and cross-reactive T cell epitope peptides of the major Bahia grass pollen allergen, Pas n 1. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2012; 159:355-66. [PMID: 22832594 DOI: 10.1159/000338290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2011] [Accepted: 03/16/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bahia grass pollen (BaGP) is a major cause of allergic rhinitis. Subcutaneous allergen-specific immunotherapy is effective for grass pollen allergy, but is unsuitable for patients with moderate to severe asthma due to the risk of anaphylaxis. T cell-reactive but IgE nonreactive peptides provide a safer treatment option. This study aimed to identify and characterize dominant CD4(+) T cell epitope peptides of the major BaGP allergen, Pas n 1. METHODS Pas n 1-specific T cell lines generated from the peripheral blood of BaGP-allergic subjects were tested for proliferative and cytokine response to overlapping 20-mer Pas n 1 peptides. Cross-reactivity to homologous peptides from Lol p 1 and Cyn d 1 of Ryegrass and Bermuda grass pollen, respectively, was assessed using Pas n 1 peptide-specific T cell clones. MHC class II restriction of Pas n 1 peptide T cell recognition was determined by HLA blocking assays and peptide IgE reactivity tested by dot blotting. RESULTS Three Pas n 1 peptides showed dominant T cell reactivity; 15 of 18 (83%) patients responded to one or more of these peptides. T cell clones specific for dominant Pas n 1 peptides showed evidence of species-specific T cell reactivity as well as cross-reactivity with other group 1 grass pollen allergens. The dominant Pas n 1 T cell epitope peptides showed HLA binding diversity and were non-IgE reactive. CONCLUSIONS The immunodominant T cell-reactive Pas n 1 peptides are candidates for safe immunotherapy for individuals, including those with asthma, who are allergic to Bahia and possibly other grass pollens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Etto
- Department of Immunology, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
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Davies JM, Li H, Green M, Towers M, Upham JW. Subtropical grass pollen allergens are important for allergic respiratory diseases in subtropical regions. Clin Transl Allergy 2012; 2:4. [PMID: 22409901 PMCID: PMC3320540 DOI: 10.1186/2045-7022-2-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2011] [Accepted: 03/05/2012] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Grass pollen allergens are a major cause of allergic respiratory disease but traditionally prescribing practice for grass pollen allergen-specific immunotherapy has favoured pollen extracts of temperate grasses. Here we aim to compare allergy to subtropical and temperate grass pollens in patients with allergic rhinitis from a subtropical region of Australia. Methods Sensitization to pollen extracts of the subtropical Bahia grass (Paspalum notatum), Johnson grass (Sorghum halepense) and Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) as well as the temperate Ryegrass (Lolium perenne) were measured by skin prick in 233 subjects from Brisbane. Grass pollen-specific IgE reactivity was tested by ELISA and cross-inhibition ELISA. Results Patients with grass pollen allergy from a subtropical region showed higher skin prick diameters with subtropical Bahia grass and Bermuda grass pollens than with Johnson grass and Ryegrass pollens. IgE reactivity was higher with pollen of Bahia grass than Bermuda grass, Johnson grass and Ryegrass. Patients showed asymmetric cross-inhibition of IgE reactivity with subtropical grass pollens that was not blocked by temperate grass pollen allergens indicating the presence of species-specific IgE binding sites of subtropical grass pollen allergens that are not represented in temperate grass pollens. Conclusions Subtropical grass pollens are more important allergen sources than temperate grass pollens for patients from a subtropical region. Targeting allergen-specific immunotherapy to subtropical grass pollen allergens in patients with allergic rhinitis in subtropical regions could improve treatment efficacy thereby reducing the burden of allergic rhinitis and asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet Mary Davies
- Lung and Allergy Research Centre, School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital Clinical Division, Woolloongabba, QLD 4076, Australia.
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Katelaris CH, Lee BW, Potter PC, Maspero JF, Cingi C, Lopatin A, Saffer M, Xu G, Walters RD. Prevalence and diversity of allergic rhinitis in regions of the world beyond Europe and North America. Clin Exp Allergy 2011; 42:186-207. [PMID: 22092947 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2011.03891.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2011] [Revised: 09/01/2011] [Accepted: 09/02/2011] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is comparatively little information in the public domain on the diversity in prevalence and triggers/factors associated with allergic rhinitis (AR) or allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (AR/C) in countries beyond western-Europe and North America. OBJECTIVE To review the prevalence and the sensitizing agents/triggers and factors associated with AR/C in several countries in Africa, the Asia-Pacific region, Australia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Turkey. METHODS Articles published in English in peer-reviewed journals were assessed and selected for further review, following an extensive literature search using the Medline database. RESULTS This review demonstrated that prevalence of AR and AR/C in these regions has predominantly been investigated in children; with studies indicating wide inter- and intra-regional variations ranging from 2.9% AR and 3.8% AR/C in 10-18-years-old children from one region in Turkey to 54.1% AR and 39.2% AR/C in 13-14-years-old children in one region in Nigeria. Moreover, the prevalence of AR and AR/C has increased markedly over the last decade particularly in some of the more affluent African countries, China-Taiwan and several Middle East countries, likely as a consequence of improved living standards leading to increased exposure to multiple traditional and non-traditional sensitizing agents and risk factors similar to those noted in western-Europe and North America. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Our findings suggest that the greater diversity in prevalence of AR or AR/C in populations in these regions is in contrast to the lower diversity of AR or AR/C in the 'western populations (USA and Europe), which tend to be more uniform. This review provides a comprehensive database of the important allergens and triggers which are likely to influence the prevalence of allergic rhinitis in these diverse regions, where the prevalence of allergic rhinitis is increasing and its adverse impact on the quality of life of affected individuals is increasingly recognised.
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Affiliation(s)
- C H Katelaris
- Immunology & Allergy, Campbelltown Hospital, University of Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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19
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Davies JM, Dang TD, Voskamp A, Drew AC, Biondo M, Phung M, Upham JW, Rolland JM, O'Hehir RE. Functional immunoglobulin E cross-reactivity between Pas n 1 of Bahia grass pollen and other group 1 grass pollen allergens. Clin Exp Allergy 2011; 41:281-91. [PMID: 21231976 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2010.03670.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Grass pollens are major triggers of allergic rhinitis and asthma, but the immunological relationships between pollen allergens of the subtropical Bahia grass, Paspalum notatum, and temperate grasses are unresolved. OBJECTIVE To assess serum IgE cross-reactivity between subtropical P. notatum and temperate Lolium perenne (Ryegrass) pollen allergens. METHODS Serum IgE reactivities of grass pollen-allergic patients with P. notatum, L. perenne and Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass) pollen extracts and their respective purified group 1 allergens, Pas n 1, Lol p 1 and Cyn d 1, were compared by immunoblotting, ELISA and basophil activation. RESULTS In a cohort of 51 patients from a temperate region, a high frequency of IgE reactivity with each grass pollen was detected, but reactivity with L. perenne pollen was substantially greater than with P. notatum and C. dactylon pollen. Similarly, serum IgE reactivity with Lol p 1 was greater than with Pas n 1 or Cyn d 1. For seven of eight sera studied in detail, asymmetric serum IgE cross-reactivity was observed; L. perenne pollen inhibited IgE reactivity with P. notatum pollen but not the converse, and IgE reactivity with Pas n 1 was inhibited by Lol p 1 but IgE reactivity with Lol p 1 was not inhibited by Pas n 1 or Cyn d 1. Importantly, P. notatum pollen and Pas n 1 activated basophils in grass pollen-allergic patients from a temperate region, although stimulation was greater by pollen of L. perenne than P. notatum or C. dactylon, and by Lol p 1 than Pas n 1 or Cyn d 1. In contrast, a cohort of 47 patients from a subtropical region showed similar IgE reactivity with P. notatum and L. perenne pollen, and reciprocal cross-inhibition of IgE reactivity between L. perenne and P. notatum. CONCLUSIONS Pollen allergens of the subtropical P. notatum, including Pas n 1, show clinically relevant IgE cross-reactivity with pollen allergens of L. perenne but also species-specific IgE reactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Davies
- CRC for Asthma and Airways, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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20
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Davies JM, Voskamp A, Dang TD, Pettit B, Loo D, Petersen A, Hill MM, Upham JW, Rolland JM, O'Hehir RE. The dominant 55 kDa allergen of the subtropical Bahia grass (Paspalum notatum) pollen is a group 13 pollen allergen, Pas n 13. Mol Immunol 2011; 48:931-40. [PMID: 21269696 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2010.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2010] [Revised: 12/23/2010] [Accepted: 12/27/2010] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Bahia grass, Paspalum notatum, is an important pollen allergen source with a long season of pollination and wide distribution in subtropical and temperate regions. We aimed to characterize the 55 kDa allergen of Bahia grass pollen (BaGP) and ascertain its clinical importance. BaGP extract was separated by 2D-PAGE and immunoblotted with serum IgE of a grass pollen-allergic patient. The amino-terminal protein sequence of the predominant allergen isoform at 55 kDa had similarity with the group 13 allergens of Timothy grass and maize pollen, Phl p 13 and Zea m 13. Four sequences obtained by rapid amplification of the allergen cDNA ends represented multiple isoforms of Pas n 13. The predicted full length cDNA for Pas n 13 encoded a 423 amino acid glycoprotein including a signal peptide of 28 residues and with a predicted pI of 7.0. Tandem mass spectrometry of tryptic peptides of 2D gel spots identified peptides specific to the deduced amino acid sequence for each of the four Pas n 13 cDNA, representing 47% of the predicted mature protein sequence of Pas n 13. There was 80.6% and 72.6% amino acid identity with Zea m 13 and Phl p 13, respectively. Reactivity with a Phl p 13-specific monoclonal antibody AF6 supported designation of this allergen as Pas n 13. The allergen was purified from BaGP extract by ammonium sulphate precipitation, hydrophobic interaction and size exclusion chromatography. Purified Pas n 13 reacted with serum IgE of 34 of 71 (48%) grass pollen-allergic patients and specifically inhibited IgE reactivity with the 55 kDa band of BaGP for two grass pollen-allergic donors. Four isoforms of Pas n 13 from pI 6.3-7.8 had IgE-reactivity with grass pollen allergic sera. The allergenic activity of purified Pas n 13 was demonstrated by activation of basophils from whole blood of three grass pollen-allergic donors tested but not control donors. Pas n 13 is thus a clinically relevant pollen allergen of the subtropical Bahia grass likely to be important in eliciting seasonal allergic rhinitis and asthma in grass pollen-allergic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet M Davies
- Lung and Allergy Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia.
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21
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Bernardes C, Moreira P, Sopelete M, Vieira F, Sung S, Silva D, Taketomi E. IgE cross-reactivity between Lolium multiflorum and commercial grass pollen allergen extracts in Brazilian patients with pollinosis. Braz J Med Biol Res 2010; 43:166-75. [DOI: 10.1590/s0100-879x2010005000004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2009] [Accepted: 01/04/2010] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - S.S. Sung
- Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Brasil
| | - D.A. Silva
- Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Brasil
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Han YY, Lee YL, Guo YL. Indoor environmental risk factors and seasonal variation of childhood asthma. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2009; 20:748-56. [PMID: 19236600 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-3038.2009.00871.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Seasonality of asthma may result from varying exposures. This cross-sectional study was designed to examine the relationship between indoor environmental factors and seasonal childhood asthma. Study subjects were participants from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) in 2004, a population-based surveillance, which included school children aged 6-15 yr in south Taiwan. Cases included 1725 children who experienced asthma symptoms in the past 12 months and the references consisted of 19,646 children who reportedly have no asthma history. By using a moving average and principal component analysis, asthmatic children were grouped into four asthma subtypes: winter, spring, summer/fall, and perennial. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the effect of indoor environmental factors on seasonality of childhood asthma. For all asthma prevalence, a peak occurred in the winter and a nadir appeared in summer. Contributing factors of asthma for children, regardless of seasonality, included younger age, parental atopy, maternal smoking during pregnancy, breast feeding, and perceived air pollution. After adjusted for salient risk factors, water damage was significantly associated with all subtypes of asthma. Presence of cockroaches was related to the summer/fall asthma (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.12-2.55). Visible mold on the walls was associated with an increased occurrence of winter and spring asthma (aOR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.26-1.85 and aOR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.10-1.62, respectively). Passive smoking was shown to be related to spring and summer/fall asthma. Water damage is a possible risk for childhood asthma year-round. Cockroaches and visible mold on the walls may play essential roles for seasonality of childhood asthma in Taiwan. Plausible mechanisms and allergic effects should be further determined. Elimination of these allergens is necessary to help prevent the development of asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueh-Ying Han
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
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23
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Martin MD, Chamecki M, Brush GS, Meneveau C, Parlange MB. Pollen clumping and wind dispersal in an invasive angiosperm. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2009; 96:1703-11. [PMID: 21622356 DOI: 10.3732/ajb.0800407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Pollen dispersal is a fundamental aspect of plant reproductive biology that maintains connectivity between spatially separated populations. Pollen clumping, a characteristic feature of insect-pollinated plants, is generally assumed to be a detriment to wind pollination because clumps disperse shorter distances than do solitary pollen grains. Yet pollen clumps have been observed in dispersion studies of some widely distributed wind-pollinated species. We used Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed; Asteraceae), a successful invasive angiosperm, to investigate the effect of clumping on wind dispersal of pollen under natural conditions in a large field. Results of simultaneous measurements of clump size both in pollen shedding from male flowers and airborne pollen being dispersed in the atmosphere are combined with a transport model to show that rather than being detrimental, clumps may actually be advantageous for wind pollination. Initial clumps can pollinate the parent population, while smaller clumps that arise from breakup of larger clumps can cross-pollinate distant populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Martin
- Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering, Ames Hall, 3400 N. Charles Street, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218 USA
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24
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Ribeiro H, Oliveira M, Ribeiro N, Cruz A, Ferreira A, Machado H, Reis A, Abreu I. Pollen allergenic potential nature of some trees species: a multidisciplinary approach using aerobiological, immunochemical and hospital admissions data. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2009; 109:328-333. [PMID: 19147130 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2008.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2008] [Revised: 10/30/2008] [Accepted: 11/17/2008] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Trees are considered producers of allergenic pollen. The aims of this work were to characterize the aerobiology of the Platanus, Acer, Salix, Quercus, Betula and Populus pollen, linking it with monthly emergency hospital admissions and to identify the different reactivity levels in sensitized patients. This information would be of great importance to evaluate the convenience of changing the inventory of pollen producer trees related to the risk of allergenic reactions. The study was conducted in Porto, Portugal, from 2005 to 2007. Airborne pollen was sampled using a Hirst-type volumetric trap. The antigenic and allergenic properties of Acer negundo, Betula pendula, Platanus occidentalis, Populus hybrida, Quercus robur and Salix babylonica pollen, collected in public gardens or sidewalks, were investigated by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunological techniques using polysensitized-patient sera. Monthly hospital admissions of asthma or dyspnea related with respiratory diseases were obtained from the Emergency Room database of Hospital Geral de Santo António. Tree pollen and hospital admissions were positively correlated. Tree pollen peaked in March which coincides with the hospital admissions maximum. The highest binding affinity was observed with A. negundo, S. babylonica and P. occidentalis pollen extracts and the lowest with P. hybrida. Consistently, Acer and Platanus maximum airborne pollen concentrations were observed during March attaining levels considered moderate to high risk for allergenic reactions. Prominent bands with approximately 71, 35, 31, 22, 19, 16, 14, 13 and 11 kDa were revealed. A 52 kDa band was shared by all analyzed sera. High levels of airborne pollen and emergency hospital admissions were related. High binding affinity of specific IgE to pollen extracts of the most abundant tree pollen present in the atmosphere was observed. Patient sera revealed multiple similar allergenic bands shared by the different extracts. This multidisciplinary approach is useful in day-to-day medical practice to help in diagnostic, therapeutic and allergy alerting system adjusting.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Ribeiro
- Departamento de Botânica and Grupo de Ambiente, Sociedade e Educação, Centro Geologia da Universidade do Porto, Portugal
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25
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Davies JM, Mittag D, Dang TD, Symons K, Voskamp A, Rolland JM, O'Hehir RE. Molecular cloning, expression and immunological characterisation of Pas n 1, the major allergen of Bahia grass Paspalum notatum pollen. Mol Immunol 2008; 46:286-93. [PMID: 18817975 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2008.08.267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2008] [Revised: 07/30/2008] [Accepted: 08/05/2008] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Bahia grass, Paspalum notatum, is a clinically important subtropical grass with a prolonged pollination season from spring to autumn. We aimed to clone and characterise the major Bahia grass pollen allergen, Pas n 1. Grass pollen-allergic patients presenting to a tertiary hospital allergy clinic were tested for IgE reactivity with Bahia grass pollen extract by skin prick testing, ImmunoCAP, ELISA and immunoblotting. Using primers deduced from the N-terminal peptide sequence of a group 1 allergen of Bahia grass pollen extract separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, the complete Pas n 1 cDNA was obtained by rapid amplification of cDNA ends and cloned. Biological relevance of recombinant Pas n 1 expressed in Escherichia coli was assessed by serum IgE reactivity and basophil activation. Twenty-nine of 34 (85%) consecutive patients presenting with grass pollen allergy were skin prick test positive to Bahia grass pollen. The Pas n 1 cDNA has sequence homology with the beta-expansin 1 glycoprotein family and is more closely related to the maize pollen group 1 allergen (85% identity) than to ryegrass Lol p 1 or Timothy grass Phl p 1 (64 and 66% identity, respectively). rPas n 1 reacted with serum IgE in 47 of 55 (85%) Bahia grass pollen-allergic patients, activated basophils and inhibited serum IgE reactivity with the 29 kDa band of Bahia grass pollen extract. In conclusion the cDNA for the major group 1 allergen of the subtropical Bahia grass pollen, Pas n 1, was identified and cloned. rPas n 1 is immunologically active and is a valuable reagent for diagnosis and specific immunotherapy of grass pollen allergy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet M Davies
- CRC for Asthma and Airways, K25-Medical Foundation Building, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
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Friedman J, Barrett SCH. High outcrossing in the annual colonizing species Ambrosia artemisiifolia (Asteraceae). ANNALS OF BOTANY 2008; 101:1303-9. [PMID: 18387973 PMCID: PMC2710250 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcn039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Variation in mating patterns may be particularly evident in colonizing species because they commonly experience wide variation in plant density. Here, the role of density for the mating system of Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed), a wind-pollinated annual colonizing species previously reported as self-compatible, is explored. METHODS The effect of population density on the proportion of self- and cross-fertilized seeds was examined using allozyme markers and experimental arrays conducted over two seasons in the field. Also the reproductive success of isolated plants located in diverse habitats was measured. The potential occurrence of a physiological mechanism preventing self-fertilization, i.e. self-incompatibility, following controlled self- and cross-pollinations in the glasshouse was examined. KEY RESULTS Outcrossing rates estimated using allozyme markers were uniformly high, regardless of the spacing between plants. However, when single plants were isolated from congeners they set few seeds. Observations of pollen-tube growth and seed set following controlled pollinations demonstrated that plants of A. artemisiifolia possess a strong self-incompatibility mechanism, contrary to earlier reports and assumptions. CONCLUSIONS The maintenance of high outcrossing rates in colonizing populations of A. artemisiifolia is likely to be facilitated by the prodigious production of wind-borne pollen, high seed production and extended seed dormancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jannice Friedman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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Dales RE, Cakmak S, Judek S, Coates F. Tree pollen and hospitalization for asthma in urban Canada. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2008; 146:241-7. [PMID: 18270491 DOI: 10.1159/000116360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2007] [Accepted: 11/21/2007] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Allergy to tree pollen is common and aeroallergens have been associated with severe asthma exacerbations in the community setting. To determine the impact of different trees on asthma, we tested the association between daily hospitalizations for asthma and daily concentrations of different tree pollens in 10 large Canadian cities. METHODS Daily time-series analyses were employed to remove unwanted temporal trends. For each family or genus, results were adjusted for day of the week, temperature, barometric pressure and relative humidity. Results were expressed as the percentage increase in asthma hospitalizations related to an increase in tree pollen concentration equivalent in magnitude to its interquartile range. RESULTS For an interquartile increase in daily tree pollen concentration, percent increases in daily hospitalization for asthma were: 2.63% (95% CI 1.19-4.07) for Ulmus (elm), 2.45% (1.12-3.78) for the group containing Pinaceae (pine, fir, spruce), Tsuga (hemlock) and Larix (larch, tamarack); 2.32% (0.93-3.71) for the group containing Quercus (oak) and Castanea (chestnut), and 2.16% (0.70-3.62) for Acer (boxelder and maple). Statistically significant (p < 0.05) but small (<2%) effects were observed for Fraxinus (ash), Populus (aspen, poplar), Alnus (alder), Betula (birch) and Corylus (hazelnut). CONCLUSIONS Several common tree pollens are an important cause of acute exacerbations of asthma severe enough to require hospitalization.
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Sopelete MC, Moreira PFS, Silva DAO, Cunha-Júnior JP, Vieira FAM, Sung SSJ, Taketomi EA. Sensitization to Lolium multiflorum Grass Pollen in Pollinosis Patients: Evaluation of Allergenic Fractions Recognized by Specific IgE Antibodies. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2006; 140:121-30. [PMID: 16601349 DOI: 10.1159/000092531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2005] [Accepted: 12/19/2005] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lolium multiflorum (Lm) pollen allergens are the major causative agents for rhinoconjunctivitis in Southern Brazil. There have been no studies about the sensitization and allergenic cross-reactivity between Lm and other grass pollens. We evaluated the sensitization of Brazilian pollinosis patients to Lm pollen allergens through skin prick test (SPT) and immunoassays (ELISA and immunoblot). METHODS Serum samples from 60 patients with pollinosis and positive SPT to grass pollen extracts (Lm+ group), 30 patients with negative SPT to grass pollen, but positive SPT to mite extracts (Lm- group), and 30 nonatopic subjects (NA group) were tested by SPT, ELISA, and immunoblot using Lm extract. Inhibition immunoassays with Lolium perenne (Lp), mixed grass (Gmix) and Lm extracts were also performed. RESULTS A high concordance was found between the Gmix and Lm extracts in SPT. Positivity rates in SPT were also highly concordant with IgE-ELISA results. The assay was able to detect Lm-specific IgE in >95% of Lm+ patients. A significant self- and cross-inhibition was observed in IgE-ELISA, reflecting a high cross-reactivity between the grass pollen allergens. Immunoblot revealed 13 IgE-binding Lm fractions, from which the bands 28-30 kDa and 31-34 kDa were recognized by >90% of Lm+ patients. CONCLUSION Lm-specific IgE antibodies are highly cross-reactive with pollen proteins from other grass species. The results indicate that Lm extracts could be used in both SPT and ELISA for a more specific evaluation of IgE responses to Lm grass pollen in Brazilian pollinosis patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mônica C Sopelete
- Laboratory of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Biomedical Science Institute, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Kao SH, Su SN, Huang SW, Tsai JJ, Chow LP. Sub-proteome analysis of novel IgE-binding proteins from Bermuda grass pollen. Proteomics 2005; 5:3805-13. [PMID: 16121337 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.200401229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) pollen (BGP) is one of the most common causes of airway allergic disease, and has been shown to contain over 12 allergenic proteins on 1-D immunoglobulin E (IgE) immunoblots. However, only a few allergens have been identified and characterized. Cyn d 1 is a major allergen and the most abundant protein in BGP, representing 15% of the whole-pollen extract. To investigate variability in the IgE-reactive patterns of BGP-sensitized patients and to identify other prevalent allergens, a BGP extract was passed through an affinity column to remove Cyn d 1, and the non-bound material was collected and analyzed by 2-DE. IgE-reactive proteins were subsequently characterized by immunoblotting using serum samples from ten BGP-allergic patients. The prevalent IgE-reactive proteins were identified by MALDI-TOF MS, N-terminal sequence similarity, and LC-MS/MS. Here, we present a sub-proteome approach for allergen investigation and its use for determining BGP 2-DE profiles and identifying six novel allergens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shao-Hsuan Kao
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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Davies JM, Bright ML, Rolland JM, O'hehir RE. Bahia grass pollen specific IgE is common in seasonal rhinitis patients but has limited cross-reactivity with Ryegrass. Allergy 2005; 60:251-5. [PMID: 15647049 DOI: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2005.00663.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perennial Ryegrass is a major cause of rhinitis in spring and early summer. Bahia grass, Paspalum notatum, flowers late into summer and could account for allergic rhinitis at this time. We determined the frequency of serum immunoglobulin (Ig)E reactivity with Bahia grass in Ryegrass pollen allergic patients and investigated IgE cross-reactivity between Bahia and Ryegrass. METHODS Serum from 33 Ryegrass pollen allergic patients and 12 nonatopic donors were tested for IgE reactivity with Bahia and Ryegrass pollen extracts (PE) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blotting and inhibition ELISA. Allergen-specific antibodies from a pool of sera from allergic donors were affinity purified and tested for IgE cross-reactivity. RESULTS Seventy-eight per cent of the sera had IgE reactivity with Bahia grass, but more weakly than with Ryegrass. Antibodies eluted from the major Ryegrass pollen allergens, Lol p 1 and Lol p 5, showed IgE reactivity with allergens of Ryegrass and Canary but not Bahia or Bermuda grasses. Timothy, Canary and Ryegrass inhibited IgE reactivity with Ryegrass and Bahia grass, whereas Bahia, Johnson and Bermuda grass did not inhibit IgE reactivity with Ryegrass. CONCLUSIONS The majority of Ryegrass allergic patients also showed serum IgE reactivity with Bahia grass PE. However, Bahia grass and Ryegrass had only limited IgE cross-reactivity indicating that Bahia grass should be considered in diagnosis and treatment of patients with hay fever late in the grass pollen season.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Davies
- Department of Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne Vic, Australia
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Sunyer J, Basagaña X, Belmonte J, Antó JM. Effect of nitrogen dioxide and ozone on the risk of dying in patients with severe asthma. Thorax 2002; 57:687-93. [PMID: 12149528 PMCID: PMC1746405 DOI: 10.1136/thorax.57.8.687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A study was performed to assess the acute association between air pollution, pollen and spores, and mortality in a population based cohort of subjects with asthma recruited from emergency room admissions for an asthma exacerbation using a case crossover design. METHODS Patients in Barcelona aged over 14 years who died during the period 1985-95 who had visited the emergency department of one of the four largest hospitals in the city for asthma during 1985-9 were included in the study (a total of 467 men and 611 women). Deaths were identified by record linkage of the cohort individuals with the Catalonia mortality registry. Causes of death were based on the underlying cause on the death certificate. Air pollution, pollen and spore levels were measured at the city monitoring stations which provide an average for the entire city. RESULTS Nitrogen dioxide was associated with mortality for all causes of death (adjusted odds ratio (OR) for an increase of the interquartile range = 1.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09 to 2.64) in asthmatic patients with more than one emergency room admission for asthma. The association was particularly strong for respiratory causes (OR 1.63, 95% CI 0.93 to 2.86). Ozone also increased the risk of death in asthmatic patients (OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.09 to 3.30) during spring and summer. The association with particles, pollen, and spores was not significant, and no interactions between air pollutants and pollen and spores were found. CONCLUSION Nitrogen dioxide and ozone may exacerbate severe asthma and even cause death among asthmatic subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Sunyer
- Respiratory and Environmental Research Unit, IMIM, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
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