The importance of the stationary and individual pollen monitoring for the diagnostic of pollen allergy

The aim of the study was to evaluate pollen seasons of selected taxa with particular reference to allergic taxa such as birch (Betula sp.), grasses (Poaceae), mugwort (Artemisia sp.) in Cracow in 2003 and 2004 (project number 3 PO5D 034 24 funded by the State Committee for Scientific Research). Pollen concentrations obtained using the stationary Burkard trap and personal Partrap FA 52 were compared. The volumetric method was used in the study. Average daily concentrations (pollen grains × m-3) were obtained by counting pollen grains every hour along 4 longitudinal transects and applying an appropriate conversion factor. Duration of the pollen season was determined using the 95% method. Variations in annual totals of pollen grains (birch and mugwort), in start dates (especially for grasses) and in the season duration (birch and grasses) were found. The comparison of pollen concentrations obtained using the stationary and personal traps at the same place showed non statistically significant correlation for all the studied taxa and statistically significant correlations for birch, mugwort and grasses (Spearman rank correlation). However, the statistically significant differences between the concentrations obtained using Burkard and Partrap carried by patients (Wilcoxon's test) were noted. Very low concentrations of pollen grains measured indoor (work, flats) and the influence of the local plants growing in separate place (courtyard of the Allergology Department) on the pollen concentration were found.

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Ash pollen season in Poland in 2019

Alergoprofil ◽

10.24292/01.ap.154181219 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 (4) ◽

pp. 17-22

Author(s):

Małgorzata Puc ◽

Daniel Kotrych ◽

Agnieszka Lipiec ◽

Kazimiera Chłopek ◽

Dariusz Jurkiewicz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pollen Season ◽

Pollen Allergy ◽

Pollen Grains ◽

Cross Reactivity ◽

Pollen Allergen ◽

Airborne Concentration ◽

Pollen Concentrations ◽

Annual Total ◽

Pollen Seasons ◽

Seasonal Pollen

Pollen grains are one of the most important groups of atmospheric biological particles that cause allergic processes. Meteorological factors affect the occurrence of pollen allergen release in the air. In order to shed light on this phenomenon this study compares the ash pollen seasons in Bialystok, Bydgoszcz, Sosnowiec, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Opole, Olsztyn, Szczecin, Warsaw and Lublin in 2019. The investigations were carried out using the volumetric method (Hirst type pollen sampler). Seasonal Pollen Index (SPI) was estimated as the sum of daily average pollen concentrations in the given season. The ash pollination is mainly observed in April. Diagnosis of ash pollen allergy is made difficult due to an overlapping pollination period with Betulaceae and some cross-reactivity with allergens from Betulaceae. It is not clear whether ash pollen is a primary cause of sensitization or whether it is implicated through cross-sensitization to other pollens. In 2019 the pollen season of ash started first in Opole, on the March 9th. At the latest, a pollen season ended in Bialystok, after mid may. The differences of pollen seasons duration were very considerable, from 28 to 50 days. The highest airborne concentration of 190 pollen grains/m3 was noted in Lublin on the April 21st. The maximum values of seasonal pollen count in Polish cities occurred between April 4th and 22nd, most often between April 18th–22nd. The highest ash pollen allergen hazard occurred in 2019 in Lublin, Warsaw, Piotrkow Trybunalski and Bydgoszcz, and was at least three times higher than in other cities. The highest variability in the analysed seasons was found in the peak value and annual total.

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Plane tree pollen season in Poland and Hungary in 2019 – why are the plane trees planted in cities so much?

Alergoprofil ◽

10.24292/01.ap.161310320 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. 15-20

Author(s):

Małgorzata Puc ◽

Donát Magyar ◽

Orsolya Udvardy ◽

Agnieszka Lipiec ◽

Piotr Rapiejko ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pollen Season ◽

Pollen Allergy ◽

Pollen Grains ◽

Cross Reactivity ◽

Tree Pollen ◽

Plane Tree ◽

Airborne Concentration ◽

Pollen Concentrations ◽

Pollen Seasons ◽

Seasonal Pollen

Allergic diseases are considered as important human health issues as they substantially restrict many allergic people. Trees such as the plane tree can pose a certain threat to allergy sufferers. Due to the frequent planting of these trees in large cities, their pollen can affect the increase in the frequency of local allergy symptoms. This study compares the plane tree pollen seasons in Poland, in Bialystok, Bydgoszcz, Warsaw, Zielona Gora, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Opole, Olsztyn, Szczecin and in Hungary, in Budapest, Debrecen, Gyor, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nyiregyhaza and Pecs in 2019. The investigations were carried out using the volumetric method (Hirst type pollen sampler). Seasonal Pollen Index (SPI) was estimated as the sum of daily average pollen concentrations in the given season. The season ranges from March to May, depending on the geographical latitude. Diagnosis of plane tree pollen allergy is made difficult due to some cross-reactivity with birch, but also alder, hazel, hornbeam, oak, beech, sweet chestnut, and to some extent with grass pollen. In 2019 the pollen season of Platanus started first in Hungary, in Pecs on the April 1st; in Poland the pollen season started in Szczecin and Zielona Gora on the April 4th. At the latest, a pollen season ended in Poland, in Warsaw and Bydgoszcz until May 11th–12th, similarly in Hungary – until May 11th in Budapest and Kaposvar. The differences of pollen seasons duration were very considerable, from 15 to 40 days. Also the differences of the highest airborne concentration especially between both countries were extremely considerable (2105 pollen grains/m3 in Nyíregyháza and 3 pollen grains/m3 in Białystok. The maximum values of seasonal pollen count in Polish cities occurred between April 24th and May 1st, and in Hungarian cities between April 9th and 16th. The highest plane tree pollen allergen hazard occurred in 2019 undoubtedly in Hungary: in Pecs, Kaposvar and Nyiregyhaza, and was ten times higher than in Poland. The highest variability in the analysed seasons was found in the peak value and annual total.

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Neural networks for increased accuracy of allergenic pollen monitoring

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-90433-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Marcel Polling ◽

Chen Li ◽

Lu Cao ◽

Fons Verbeek ◽

Letty A. de Weger ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neural Networks ◽

Airborne Pollen ◽

Pollen Grains ◽

Allergenic Pollen ◽

Herbarium Specimens ◽

Pollen Monitoring ◽

Pollen Concentrations ◽

Source Of Information ◽

Urticaceae Pollen

AbstractMonitoring of airborne pollen concentrations provides an important source of information for the globally increasing number of hay fever patients. Airborne pollen is traditionally counted under the microscope, but with the latest developments in image recognition methods, automating this process has become feasible. A challenge that persists, however, is that many pollen grains cannot be distinguished beyond the genus or family level using a microscope. Here, we assess the use of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to increase taxonomic accuracy for airborne pollen. As a case study we use the nettle family (Urticaceae), which contains two main genera (Urtica and Parietaria) common in European landscapes which pollen cannot be separated by trained specialists. While pollen from Urtica species has very low allergenic relevance, pollen from several species of Parietaria is severely allergenic. We collect pollen from both fresh as well as from herbarium specimens and use these without the often used acetolysis step to train the CNN model. The models show that unacetolyzed Urticaceae pollen grains can be distinguished with > 98% accuracy. We then apply our model on before unseen Urticaceae pollen collected from aerobiological samples and show that the genera can be confidently distinguished, despite the more challenging input images that are often overlain by debris. Our method can also be applied to other pollen families in the future and will thus help to make allergenic pollen monitoring more specific.

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Pollen concentrations of some plants in the air over Olszanica (Bieszczady Niskie Mountains) and Wrocław in the 2008 season

Acta Agrobotanica ◽

10.5586/aa.2010.037 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 63 (2) ◽

pp. 97-103

Author(s):

Małgorzata Malkiewicz ◽

Kamilla Klaczak

Keyword(s):

Pollen Season ◽

Birch Pollen ◽

Urban Site ◽

Rural Environment ◽

Pollen Allergens ◽

Pollen Concentrations ◽

Allergenic Activity ◽

Birch Pollen Allergen ◽

Burkard Trap ◽

Pollen Seasons

This paper presents the results of an analysis of pollen season patterns for taxa which show the strongest allergenic activity (alder, birch, grasses, and mugwort) in 2008 in the air over Wrocław and Olszanica. The study was carried out using the volumetric method (Burkard trap). The results show variation in pollen seasons between the analyzed localities. An attempt was made to find out in which of the sites in question - the urban site or the rural one - there was a greater risk of allergens of the selected plants. The results of the present study show that the alder, birch and grass pollen seasons in 2008 started and ended earlier in Wrocław, and maximum pollen concentrations were definitely lower. But the mugwort pollen season started earlier and ended much later in Olszanica, while maximum pollen concentration of this taxon was more than twice lower than in Wrocław. In 2008 in the investigated localities, the highest pollen concentrations of the plants in question occurred in the following months: alder in February, birch in April, grasses in June, while mugwort in August. In 2008 alder and birch pollen allergen risk was comparable in the investigated urban and rural environment. However, grass and mugwort pollen allergens posed a significantly greater threat in the rural environment than in Wrocław.

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Mugwort pollen season in the air of Poland in 2019

Alergoprofil ◽

10.24292/01.ap.154201119 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 (4) ◽

pp. 23-28

Author(s):

Małgorzata Puc ◽

Piotr Rapiejko ◽

Agnieszka Lipiec ◽

Małgorzata Malkiewicz ◽

Katarzyna Dąbrowska-Zapart ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pollen Season ◽

Pollen Grains ◽

Start Date ◽

Airborne Concentration ◽

Pollen Concentrations ◽

Artemisia Species ◽

Pollen Seasons ◽

June July ◽

Artemisia Pollen ◽

Seasonal Pollen

The Asteraceae family is one of the largest families, comprising 67 genera and 264 species in Poland. However, only a few genera, including Artemisia, are potential allergenic sources. The aim of the study was to compare the mugwort pollen seasons in Bialystok, Bydgoszcz, Sosnowiec, Lublin, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Opole, Olsztyn, Szczecin, Warsaw and Wroclaw in 2019. The investigations were carried out using the volumetric method. Seasonal Pollen Index was estimated as the sum of daily average pollen concentrations in the given season. The mugwort pollen season is mainly observed in June, July and at the beginning of September. In 2019 the pollen season of mugwort started first in Opole, on the June 26th. At the latest, a pollen season ended in Bydgoszcz and Warsaw, at the end of September. The differences of pollen seasons duration were extremely considerable, from 35 to 83 days. The highest airborne concentration of 97 pollen grains/m3 was noted in Lublin on the July 31st. The maximum values of seasonal pollen count in Polish cities occurred between July 28th and August 12th, most often between in late July and early August. The highest mugwort pollen allergen hazard occurred in 2019 in Lublin, Warsaw, Opole and Wroclaw, and was 2–3 times higher than in other cities. The highest variability in the analysed seasons was found in start date, while the lowest in the peak value and SPI value. In the pollen season in 2019, 2 peaks of Artemisia pollen concentrations were observed as a result of the order of flowering of A. vulgaris and A. campestris. Information on the pollination of various Artemisia species will be used to avoid excessive exposure to allergens of these pollen grains.

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Tree Pollen Spectra and Pollen Allergy Risk in the Osijek-Baranja County

Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology ◽

10.2478/10004-1254-64-2013-2235 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 64 (1) ◽

pp. 115-122 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Magdalena Sikora ◽

Marina Valek ◽

Zdenka Šušić ◽

Vera Santo ◽

Dario Brdarić

Keyword(s):

Airborne Pollen ◽

Pollen Allergy ◽

Pollen Grains ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

Research Information ◽

Tree Pollen ◽

Pollen Concentrations ◽

North Eastern ◽

Measuring Site ◽

Monitoring Stations

The forests of north-eastern Croatia, as well as various plants and trees in the parks and streets of the Osijek-Baranja County, produce large amounts of pollen during the pollen season, which can cause allergy symptoms in pollen sensitive individuals. The aim of this study was to determine the most frequent types of pollen in this area and estimate possible health risks, especially the risk of allergy. In 2009 and 2010, the staff of the Health Ecology Department of the Osijek Public Health Institute monitored tree pollen concentrations in four cities from the Osijek - Baranja County (Osijek, Našice, Đakovo and Beli Manastir) using a Burkard volumetric instrument. The results were affected by weather conditions. Windy and sunny days facilitated the transfer of pollen, whereas during rainy days, the concentration of pollen grains decreased. High pollen concentrations of Cupressaceae/Taxaceae, Betulaceae, Salicaceae and Aceraceae could be the cause for symptoms of pollen allergy. In 2009, conifers, birch and poplar pollen were dominant at all monitoring stations with 5000 pollen grains (PG), 3188 PG and 3113 PG respectively. The highest number of pollen grains was recorded at measuring site Osijek. The variations in airborne pollen concentration between pollen seasons were recorded at all monitoring stations. The most obvious variations were recorded at measuring site Osijek. The usual pollination period lasts two to three months, which means that most pollen grains remain present from February to early June. However, the Cupressaceae / Taxaceae pollination periods last the longest and their pollen grains remain present until the end of summer. The risk of allergy was determined at four monitored measuring stations and the obtained data confirmed that the largest number of days with a high health risk was at the Đakovo measuring station for a species of birch. The research information aims to help allergologists and individuals allergic to plant pollen develop preventive measures and proper treatment therapies.

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Pollen Monitoring in the City of Ivano-Frankivsk, Western Ukraine

Acta Agrobotanica ◽

10.5586/aa.7341 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 73 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Galyna Melnychenko ◽

Myroslava Mylenka ◽

Nadiia Riznychuk ◽

Nataliia Prokopiv

Keyword(s):

Geographical Location ◽

Pollen Allergy ◽

Pollen Grains ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Allergenic Pollen ◽

Forest Steppe ◽

Pollen Monitoring ◽

Allergenic Plants ◽

High Concentrations ◽

The City

The results of aeropalynological studies in Ivano-Frankivsk during 2013–2015 are presented in this article. The studies were conducted using a specially designed gravimetric Durham pollen trap installed at a height of 24 m from the ground. We determined that pollen grains of the following taxa dominate in the city’s aeropalynological spectrum: Corylus, Alnus, Betula, Populus, Fraxinus, Salix, Carpinus, Quercus, Pinus, Picea, Poaceae, Urticaceae, Artemisia, and Ambrosia. Pollen grains from woody plants dominate the aeropalynological spectrum. The considerable presence of the tree pollen grains in the ambient air is due to the geographical location of Ivano-Frankivsk in the forest-steppe zone of Ukraine. Pollen season of allergenic plants lasts from the second week of February to early October. The most unfavorable period for patients with pollen allergy in Ivano-Frankivsk is April, when there is a simultaneous appearance of high concentrations airborne allergenic pollen of Betula, Fraxinus, and Carpinus. From the second week of May to mid-July, high (>50 pollen grains/m3) concentrations of allergenic pollen of the Poaceae family members are detected in the air. In the second half of August and early September, high concentrations of allergenic Ambrosia pollen were recorded in the city air. Conducting of pollen monitoring in the city is extremely necessary for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of pollen allergy.

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An analysis of grass (Poaceae) pollen seasons in Lublin in 2001-2008

Acta Agrobotanica ◽

10.5586/aa.2009.030 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 62 (2) ◽

pp. 91-96 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Agnieszka Dąbrowska

Keyword(s):

Grass Pollen ◽

Pollen Season ◽

Gravimetric Method ◽

Pollen Allergy ◽

Pollen Grains ◽

Maximum Temperature ◽

Air Humidity ◽

Maximum Wind ◽

Relative Air Humidity ◽

Pollen Seasons

Grass pollen allergens are a frequent cause of pollen allergy in Poland and other European countries. The research on aeroplankton conducted in Lublin since 2001 allows characterization of the course of grass pollen seasons and estimation of the effect of maximum and minimum temperatures, relative air humidity, precipitation and maximum wind velocity on the taxon's pollen concentration. The gravimetric method was used in the study. During the eight-year research period, the pollen season usually started in the first or second decade of May and, as a rule, it lasted till the end of August, and quite exceptionally, in 2002 and 2008 till mid-August. The mean length of the pollen season was 107 days. The highest grass pollen risk was observed in the 26th and 27th week. The highest annual counts reaching over 3600 pollen grains × cm-2 were noted in 2008, while in the other study years they ranged from 741 to 1909. The date of the pollen season onset and its course were highly dependent on weather conditions, which was confirmed by the statistical analysis. The greatest significant influence on the pollen season was exerted by maximum temperature, relative air humidity and the maximum wind.

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The threat of allergenic airborne trees pollen to pollinosis sufferers in a rural area (Western Pomerania, Poland)

Acta Agrobotanica ◽

10.5586/aa.2015.039 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 68 (4) ◽

pp. 325-331 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Aleksandra Kruczek ◽

Małgorzata Puc ◽

Alina Stacewicz ◽

Tomasz Wolski

Keyword(s):

Pollen Season ◽

Birch Pollen ◽

Pollen Grains ◽

Daily Maximum ◽

Pollen Concentrations ◽

Diurnal Distribution ◽

Annual Total ◽

Total Pollen ◽

Pollen Seasons ◽

The Village

The aim of the study was to investigate the concentration of Alnus L., Corylus L. and Betula L. pollen in the village of Gudowo (Western Pomerania, Poland) in the years 2012–2014 in order to estimate the threat of allergenic tree pollen in this rural region. Measurements were performed using the volumetric method (VPPS Lanzoni 2000 pollen sampler). The duration of the pollen season was determined by the 98% method, taking days on which, respectively, 1% and 99% of the annual total pollen grains appeared as the beginning and end of the season. Pollen grains from hazel occurred in the air as the first ones, before pollen grains from alder and birch. The earliest beginning of the hazel pollen season was recorded in 2012, whereas alder and birch pollen seasons started the earliest in 2014. Daily maximum pollen concentrations of the investigated taxa were recorded in 2014. Birch pollen allergens posed the largest threat to pollinosis sufferers. In the years 2012–2014, pollen concentrations equal or higher than threshold values, at which people with pollinosis show allergic symptoms, were recorded most frequently for birch, hazel, and alder (25, 19, and 14 days, respectively). The highest hourly alder pollen concentration was recorded at 16:00 and in the case of hazel at 15:00. The diurnal distribution of birch pollen concentrations does not show any distinct peaks.

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Searching for a trace of Artemisia campestris pollen in the air

Acta Agrobotanica ◽

10.5586/aa.2015.040 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 68 (4) ◽

pp. 399-404 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Łukasz Grewling ◽

Idalia Kasprzyk ◽

Katarzyna Borycka ◽

Kazimiera Chłopek ◽

Łukasz Kostecki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pollen Season ◽

Airborne Pollen ◽

Rank Correlation ◽

Temporal Variations ◽

Monitoring Site ◽

Pollen Data ◽

Pollen Monitoring ◽

Bimodal Pattern ◽

Pollen Seasons ◽

Artemisia Campestris

The aim of the study was to determinate whether Artemisia campestris was present in the vicinity of 8 pollen monitoring stations in Poland by examining temporal variations in daily average airborne Artemisia pollen data recorded by Hirst type volumetric traps. Three day moving averages of airborne Artemisia pollen were examined by Spearman’s rank correlation test. Results show that Artemisia pollen seasons in Poland generally display similar unimodal patterns (correlation coefficients r > 0.900; P < 0.05). The only exception was the Artemisia pollen concentration noted in the outskirts of Poznań (Morasko), where the bimodal pattern was revealed. Correlations between Artemisia pollen data recorded at Poznań-Morasko and the other Polish sites were the lowest in the investigated dataset; this was particularly noticeable in the second part of pollen season (r ~0.730). We show that the typical bimodal pattern in Artemisia pollen seasons, which is characteristic of the presence of both A. vulgaris (first peak) and A. campestris (second peak), does not occur at the majority of sites in Poland and is restricted to the outskirts of Poznań. In fact, it was noted that the pollen monitoring site in Poznań-Centre, just 8 km from Morasko, only exhibited one peak (attributed to A. vulgaris). This shows that the influence of A. campestris on airborne pollen season curves is limited and can be largely disregarded. In addition, this study supports previous records showing that the spatial distribution of airborne Artemisia pollen within a city (urban-rural gradient) can vary markedly, depending on the species composition.

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