Relevance of aerobiological studies in Nigeria: a two-year aerospora record of Lagos

Ajikah, Linus Bashie; Neumann, Frank; Alebiosu, Olugbenga Shadrak; Bamford, Marion K.; Ogundipe, O. T.

doi:10.1007/s10453-021-09710-x

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Findings from their study revealed that relative humidity and temperature impact the distribution of pollen at their study locations. Ajikah et al (2021b) discovered the preponderance of airborne pollen types dispersed by Convolvulaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Poaceae and Cyperaceae at their sampling sites in Lagos, Nigeria. They observed that aerospora corresponded with angiosperms in the surrounding ora of their sampling locations.…”

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confidence: 99%

Aerobiological investigation, meteorological impacts on pollen distribution and allergenicity of major pollen types in the atmosphere of Southeastern Nigeria

Alebiosu

Adekanmbi

2022

Preprint

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Airborne palynomorphs are regarded as important organic granules causing human allergic reactions such as pollinosis and asthma. In the present study, monthly depositional amount of airborne pollen and fern spores, impact of the surrounding plants on pollen distribution and allergenicity of common airborne pollen types, were investigated at selected sampling stations in Ebonyi and Anambra States, Southeastern Nigeria. Bioaerosols were collected with Tauber-like pollen samplers and subjected to conventional palynological treatment processes, microscopy and photomicrography. Enumeration of plants within the immediate vegetation showed that local plants produced some atmospheric pollen types at the study locations. Among other meteorological parameters, only relative humidity was found to yield statistically significant and positive correlation with monthly total airborne pollen concentrations in Anambra State. A positive but not significant correlation was also found between total airborne pollen counts and relative humidity in Ebonyi State. Nephrolepis sp., Pteris sp. and a trilete fern produced spores, while diatoms were also recovered. Some common pollen types including those of Syzygium guineense (Willd.) DC. and Senna siamea (Lam.) Irwin et Barneby in Ebonyi State; Mariscus alternifolius Vahl. and Zea mays L. in Anambra State, were collected in order to quantify and extract their crude protein contents for Mus musculus sensitization to achieve serology (ELISA) and haematology (differential and total white blood cell counts). Statistical significance was tested and observed in the correlation between amounts of haematological and serological parameters yielded by each test group; variations between amounts of these parameters yielded by each test group and those of the control, as well as at differing periods of sensitization. In the Senna siamea test group of Mus musculus, histopathological morbid characteristics were observed, including areas of necrosis (presence of dead cells) in the bronchi of a mortality; areas of necrosis and congestion in the bronchi and lungs of another mortality, respectively, after second sensitization. The study confirmed all the selected pollen types as potential sources of allergy at the study areas and revealed a multiplex of interplay among triggers of pollen allergy at different intervals of administration in mice, establishing a model of immunological reactions to varied pollen antigens in humans.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aerobiological investigation, meteorological impacts on pollen distribution and allergenicity of major pollen types in the atmosphere of Southeastern Nigeria

Alebiosu

Adekanmbi

2022

Preprint

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High aerospora levels and associated atmospheric circulation patterns: Pretoria, South Africa

Roffe,

Ajikah,

John

et al. 2024

Int J Biometeorol

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At high exposure levels, airborne pollen grains and fungal spores (termed aerospora hereafter), can trigger severe allergic respiratory diseases. For South Africa’s administrative capital Pretoria, which boasts dense vegetation within a large urban forest, it is valuable from a health perspective to understand daily atmospheric circulation patterns associated with high aerospora levels. Therefore, we utilised a daily aerospora grain count dataset collected in Pretoria from 08/2019–02/2023 to investigate atmospheric circulation patterns (derived from ERA5 reanalysis sea level pressure [SLP] and 500 hPa geopotential height [zg500] fields) associated with high-risk aerospora levels (aerospora grain count > 90th percentile). Concentrated during October-May, there were 128 high-risk days, with 69.6% of days occurring in November, February and April. Although generally above-average mid-tropospheric subsidence levels prevailed over Pretoria during high-risk days, no single distinct atmospheric circulation pattern was associated with these high-risk days. Therefore, using Principal Component Analysis, we classified 14 Circulation Weather Types (CWTs) for October-May months between 08/2019–02/2023 to assess which CWTs most frequently occurred during high-risk days. Three CWTs had a statistically significant proportion of high-risk days – collectively they occurred during 37.1% of days studied, yet accounted for 45.3% of high-risk days. Among these CWTs, two CWTs were similarly associated with surface and mid-tropospheric high-pressure conditions, while the third was associated with a surface and mid-tropospheric trough. By comparing our CWT classification to daily synoptic charts (from the South African Weather Service), our classification can be used to identify days with potentially high allergenicity risk over Pretoria.

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Identification of prominent airborne pollen in a city situated in foot-hills of Himalayas, Chandigarh, India

Ravindra

Goyal

Mor

2022

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Relevance of aerobiological studies in Nigeria: a two-year aerospora record of Lagos

Cited by 4 publications

References 54 publications

Aerobiological investigation, meteorological impacts on pollen distribution and allergenicity of major pollen types in the atmosphere of Southeastern Nigeria

Aerobiological investigation, meteorological impacts on pollen distribution and allergenicity of major pollen types in the atmosphere of Southeastern Nigeria

High aerospora levels and associated atmospheric circulation patterns: Pretoria, South Africa

Identification of prominent airborne pollen in a city situated in foot-hills of Himalayas, Chandigarh, India

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