Allergenic fungi spore records (15 years) and sensitization in patients with respiratory allergy in Thessaloniki-Greece.
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of respiratory allergy to fungi spores (FS) is not precisely known but is estimated at 20-30% of atopic patients. There are no aerobiological records, necessary for respiratory allergy diagnosis and treatment, in Thessaloniki and generally in Greece.


OBJECTIVE
Creation of a database on FS circulation and investigation of skin sensitivity (SS) of asthmatics by using skin prick tests (SPT).


METHODS
Daily records and identification of 15 airborne FS species were conducted, using a Burkard trap during 1987-2001. SS to 5 most common FS extracts was investigated, by using SPT in a total of 1311 asthmatics with atopy, submitted to the Out-Patient Clinic of Asthma (Pulmonary Dept, Aristotle Univ, Thessaloniki) in 1990-2001.


RESULTS
The FS recorded in the 15-year period were as follows: Cladosporium spp. (72.2%), Alternaria spp. (9.8%), Ustilago spp. (8.1%), Ascospores (2.7%), Agrocybe spp. (1.5%), Helminthosporium spp. (1.4%), Leptosphaeria spp (1.2%), Agrogybe spp. (1.1%), whereas the species Botrytis, Stemphylium, Pleospora, Nigrospora, Epicoccum. Fusarium, Torula and Phoma presented concentrations <1%. The highest numbers of airborne FS were recorded during summer. Positive skin reaction to FS was observed in 421 (32%) patients of the 1311 asthmatics. Positive skin reaction to Altemaria species was observed in 177 patients (13.5%), in 98 (7.4%) to Cladosporium, 65 (5%) to Aspergillus, 45 (3.4%) to Fusarium and 36 (2.7%) to Rhizopus. FS sensitivity is much more frequent in younger men.


CONCLUSIONS
For the first time in Thessaloniki-Greece, 15 allergenic FS species circulation has been recorded for the last 15 years. SS was more frequently detected for the species of Alternaria, Cladosporium and Aspergillus.
Gioulekas
D
D
Pulmonary Department, G. P. Hospital G. Papanikolaou, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. giouleka@auth.gr
Damialis
A
A
Papakosta
D
D
Spieksma
F
F
Giouleka
P
P
Patakas
D
D
D000391:Air Microbiology; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012882:Skin Tests; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000276:immunology*; D014505:Urban Population
D000485:Allergens