title: Influence of airborne pollen counts and length of pollen season of selected allergenic plants on the concentration of sIgE antibodies on the population of Bratislava, Slovakia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The association between airborne pollen counts or duration of pollen season and allergy symptoms is not always distinguished. The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between pollen exposure (annual total pollen quantity and main pollen season length) of selected allergenic plants in the atmosphere of Bratislava, and concentration of allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) in serum of patients with seasonal allergy during 2002-2003.
  
  
  METHODS
  The concentration of pollen was monitored by a Burkard volumetric pollen trap. At the same time, 198 pollen allergic patients were testing to determine the values of sIgE antibodies against selected pollen allergens; a panel of 8 purified allergens was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The highest percentages of sensitization were detected for Poaceae and Ambrosia pollen allergens. The most abundant airborne pollen types were Urticaceae, Betula, Populus, Fraxinus, Pinus and Poaceae. The length of the pollen season varied. The longest pollen season was that of the Plantago - 105 days, and the shortest, Corylus - 20 days. A significant correlation was found between annual total pollen quantity and median sIgE values, especially in 2002.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A strong and significant positive correlation was observed between pollen counts, excluding Betula, and sIgE levels in both analysed years. The correlation was weaker and negative in the case of length of pollen season and sIgE values.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Comenius University, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ščevková
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Comenius University, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dušička
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Medicines, Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hrubiško
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Comenius University, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Karol
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mičieta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012621:Seasons; D018154:Slovakia / Q000453:epidemiology; D064028:Tracheophyta / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E