Allergenic pollens in the southern Mediterranean area

Volumetric analysis of airborne pollen grains in the city of Uşak, Turkey

“…In similar studies conducted around Uşak, the amount of pollen belonging to this taxon was 11.0% in Afyon (Bıçakçı et al, 2002) and 5.02% in Kütahya (Bıçakcı et al, 1999). This family, considered one of the most important aeroallergens in the world (D' Amato and Lobefalo, 1989), includes a variety of species; thus, its pollination period is long. In the present study, Poaceae pollen was detected in the air in Uşak in every month of the year in different amounts, but reached the highest amount in May.…”

Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) 2008*

“…grass pollen allergy in Southern California and Florida (60) or Parietaria pollen allergy in the Mediterranean area (61)]; • symptoms of perennial allergy may not always be present all year round. This is particularly the case for a large number of patients allergic to house dust mites (HDM) suffering only from mild or moderate/severe IAR (62)(63)(64)(65).…”

“…The capacity for sensitization to pollens is theoretically universal, but the nature and number of pollens vary with the vegetation, geography, temperature and climate (61,(358)(359)(360). There are important regional differences.…”

Airborne particles and asthma: a biophysical model

“…Although the friction coefficients between human airway epithelium and airborne particles remain to be experimentally determined, a survey of scanning electron microscopy studies of 16 pollen species frequently linked to asthma indicates that, in general, grass pollens have the smoothest surfaces, followed by somewhat rougher pollens of some weed and tree species, and the roughest pollens of other tree species [3][4][5]. The levels of roughness of these pollens inversely correlate well with their documented abilities to cause asthma.…”