From the culture broth of a fungus, two metabolites have been isolated: bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) precedently isolated from Streptomyces sp. and 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-oxoacetaldehyde oxime (PHBA)here reported as a natural compound in the (E)-s-cis configuration. The producing organism was identified as a strain of Penicillium olsonii. Culture growth and chemical identification are discussed in the present work.
In order to evaluate the relationship between pollen exposure and prevalence of allergic respiratory symptoms, we performed a cross-sectional epidemiological study in 2 areas with contrasted exposure to cypress and grass pollens. The study population consisted of 5427 subjects 18 to 65-years-old representative of the general population. All answered an abridged version of the 1978 ATS questionnaire and a sample had a skin test evaluation including grass and cypress pollens. Prevalence of hay fever symptoms was equal to 31.5% and 14.1%, respectively, in exposed and less exposed community (P < 0.001). Prevalence of hay fever symptoms together with a positive skin test to pollen was also significantly higher in the exposed (13.6%) vs less exposed community (5.5%, P < 0.001). In contrast, overall prevalence of asthma was equal to 4.5% and 3.4%, respectively. Prevalence of asthma with positive skin tests was also not statistically significant, equal to 2.5% and 1.9%, respectively. Thus, high exposure to pollen is a risk factor for developing hay fever but not asthma.
A plane-tree pollen allergen was obtained by ion exchange and gel filtration chromatography. It is a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 22,000. By isoelectro-focusing, two isomers with a high cross-allergenicity were obtained. The results suggest that this fraction is not the only allergen but certainly the most active.
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