RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Specific allergen from various pollen types has been found to be carried through the outdoor air, not only by intact pollen grains, but also by much smaller, paucimicronic particles. There is no complete agreement on whether, for birch (Betula), the seasonal appearance of atmospheric pollen allergen follows the fluctuation pattern of the pollen season. METHODS: Assessment of birch-pollen allergen in size-fractionated ambient aerosol was performed by descending elution of allergen from impaction strips of a five-stage cascade impactor, and compared with atmospheric birch-pollen concentrations as measured with a volumetric pollen trap. RESULTS: An overall similarity in the courses of the seasonal presence was found for both birch pollen and allergen in particles of all paucimicronic size fractions, although some airborne allergen was detected before and after the birch-pollen season. CONCLUSIONS: Transfer of pollen allergen to both natural and pollutant environmental dust particles is thought to be the probable explanation of secondary allergen carriage by paucimicronic particles. Until simple techniques for direct and rapid assessment of atmospheric pollen allergen become available, the pollen count gives sufficiently reliable information about the seasonal course of airborne pollen allergen.
Asunto(s)
Contaminantes Atmosféricos/análisis , Alérgenos/análisis , Monitoreo del Ambiente/métodos , Magnoliopsida , Polen , Aerosoles , Humanos , Inmunoglobulina E/análisis , Magnoliopsida/inmunología , Tamaño de la Partícula , Prueba de Radioalergoadsorción , Estaciones del AñoAsunto(s)
Alérgenos/normas , Hipersensibilidad Inmediata/diagnóstico , Pruebas Cutáneas , Adolescente , Adulto , Relación Dosis-Respuesta Inmunológica , Polvo , Estudios de Evaluación como Asunto , Humanos , Ácaros , Poaceae/inmunología , Polen , Rinitis Alérgica Estacional/diagnóstico , Equivalencia Terapéutica , p-Metoxi-N-metilfenetilamina/inmunologíaRESUMEN
Some formulas are given for the relationship between the sizes of wheals and flares of skin reactions to three allergen extracts and to histamine and compound 48/80. Only compound 48/80 shows a somewhat different wheal/flare relationship.
Asunto(s)
Histamina/farmacología , Hipersensibilidad Inmediata/diagnóstico , Ácaros , Extractos Vegetales/inmunología , Poaceae , Polen , p-Metoxi-N-metilfenetilamina/farmacología , Humanos , Pruebas CutáneasRESUMEN
Analysis of skin-test results obtained with compound 48/80 has indicated that this substance deserves a place in the standard series of test fluids for routine skin testing. No influence of sex or season was detected but there were significant differences in response related to the age (strongest reactions in the 16-40 year age group) and to the diagnosis (strongest reactions in the atopic patients).