ΑΡΙΣΤΟΤΕΛΕΙΟ ΠΑΝΕΠΙΣΤΗΜΙΟ - ΙΑΤΡΙΚΟ ΤΜΗΜΑ

ΒΙΒΛΙΟΓΡΑΦΙΑ

Πρόσφατη Προσωπική Βιβλιογραφία

15-YEAR AEROALLERGEN RECORDS. THEIR USEFULNESS IN ATHENS OLYMPICS, 2004.

D. Gioulekas (1), A. Damialis (1), D. Papakosta (1), A. Syrigou (2), G. Mpaka (2), F. Saxoni (2), D. Patakas (1)

(1): Pulmonary Department, G. P. Hospital 'G. Papanikolaou', Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
(2): Second Pediatric Department, Allergology Unit, University of Athens, Greece.

Allergy 2003; 58: 933-938

Abstract: About 5-25% of 16 000 athletes involved in preparation for the Athens 2004 Olympics may encounter respiratory allergy (asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis) triggered by exposure to aeroallergens (pollen and fungi spores). The aim is to provide information about circulating aeroallergens in three Olympic cities and ensure safety for the allergic athletes who will visit Greece from January to September 2004. Aeroallergens were recorded using a Burkard volumetric trap. The most frequently implicated pollen (cypress, hazel, wall pellitory, plane, olive, grasses, goosefoot and mugwort) and fungi spores (Alternaria spp., Cladosporium spp.) are presented. These data derive from a 15-year database created by the Pulmonary Department, Thessaloniki, a 2-year database (University of Heraklion-Crete) and a 6-year database by the Pediatric Department, Athens. The above data and the current aeroallergen counts will be continuously announced by the mass media and Internet during the Athens 2004 Olympics. Results are expressed as: (A) Presentation (Graphs, Tables) of the fluctuation of mean daily values of pollen grains or fungi spores/m3. (B) Presentation (Tables) of the start, peak and end time of aeroallergen circulation. Peak pollen concentrations were observed between March and May (athletes' preparation time). During the 2004 Olympics (August-September) relatively high concentrations of goosefoot, mugwort, Alternaria and Cladosporium will be observed. Aeroallergens circulate in Athens 10-15 days earlier than in Thessaloniki and 10 days later than in Heraklion. The data presented in the study are expected to help allergic Olympic athletes achieve peak performance under prophylactic measures.

ALLERGENIC POLLEN RECORDS (15 YEARS) AND SENSITIZATION IN PATIENTS WITH RESPIRATORY ALLERGY IN THESSALONIKI, GREECE

D. Gioulekas (1), D. Papakosta (1), A. Damialis (1), F. Th. Spieksma (2), P. Giouleka (1), D. Patakas (1)

(1): Pulmonary Department, G. P. Hospital 'G. Papanikolaou', Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
(2): Aerobiology Laboratory, Pulmonary Department, University of Leiden, The Netherlands.

Allergy 2004; 59: 174-184

Abstract: Very limited allergenic pollen records exist in Greece so far; moreover, there is a lack of investigation on patient sensitization. The above data are necessary for respiratory allergy diagnosis and treatment worldwide. Daily records and identification of 16 airbome pollen species were made using a Burkard trap (1987-2001). Skin sensitivity to 13 most common pollen extracts was investigated, in a sample of 1311 asthmatics with atopy, admitted to the Out-Patient Clinic for Asthma (1990-2001). Skin sensitivity to 55 allergens, including 13 pollen extracts, was detected by skin prick test. The following pollen concentrations were recorded: cypress (24.9% of the total), oak (20.8%), wall pellitory (13.6%), olive (9.1 %), pine (8.9%), grasses (6.3%), plane (5.4%), hazel (3%), goosefoot (23%) and poplar (1.4%). The respective percentages of birch, ragweed, mugwort, willow, alder and elm were lower than 1%. The highest counts of airborne pollen grains were detected from March to June. Regarding patient sensitization, sensitivity was detected to: grasses in 530 patients (40.4%), olive 411 (31.8%), goosefoot 240 (18.3%), wall pellitory 201 (15.3%), mugwort 198 (15.1%), plantain 194 (14.6%), cypress 166 (12.7%), hazel 126 (9.6%), pine 122 (9.3%), poplar 111 (8.4%), plane 107 (8.2%), oak 99 (7.6%) and to birch 89 patients (6.8%). The sensitivity to pollen grains displays preponderance (57.9%) to males. For the first time in Thessaloniki, Greece, 15-year allergenic pollen records were conducted. Clinical observations confirm that the pollen mainly implicated in respiratory allergy symptoms are grasses, olive and wall pellitory.

FIFTEEN YEARS' RECORD OF AIRBORNE ALLERGENIC POLLEN AND METEOROLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN THESSALONIKI, GREECE

D. Gioulekas (1), C. Balafoutis (2), A. Damialis (1), D. Papakosta (1), G. Gioulekas (1), D. Patakas (1)

(1): Pulmonary Department, G. P. Hospital 'G. Papanikolaou', Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
(2): Department of Meteorology-Climatology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.

Int J Biometeorol 2004; 48: 128-136

Abstract: A pollen calendar has been constructed for the area of Thessaloniki and relationships between pollen transport and meteorological parameters have been assessed. Daily airborne pollen records were collected over a 15-year period (1987-2001), using a Burkard continuous volumetric pollen trap, located in the centre of the city. Sixteen allergenic pollen types were identified. Simultaneously, daily records of five main meteorological parameters (mean air temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, sunshine, wind speed) were made, and then correlated with fluctuations of the airborne pollen concentrations. For the first time in Greece, a pollen calendar has been constructed for 16 pollen types, from which it appears that 24.9% of the total pollen recorded belong to Cupressaceae, 20.8% to Quercus spp., 13.6% to Urticaceae, 9.1% to Oleaceae, 8.9% to Pinaceae, 6.3% to Poaceae, 5.4% to Platanaceae, 3.0% to Corylus spp., 2.5% to Chenopodiaceae and 1.4% to Populus spp. The percentages of Betula spp., Asteraceae (Artemisia spp. and Ambrosia spp.), Salix spp., Ulmaceae and Alnus spp. were each lower than 1%. A positive correlation between pollen transport and both mean temperature and sunshine was observed, whereas usually no correlation was found between pollen and relative humidity or rainfall. Finally, wind speed was generally found to have a significant positive correlation with the concentrations of 8 pollen types. For the first time in the area of Thessaloniki, and more generally in Greece, 15-year allergenic pollen records have been collected and meteorological parameters have been recorded. The airborne pollen concentration is strongly influenced by mean air temperature and sunshine duration. The highest concentrations of pollen grains are observed during spring (May).

ALLERGENIC FUNGAL SPORE RECORDS (15 YEARS) AND RELATIONSHIP WITH METEOROLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN THESSALONIKI, GREECE

D. Gioulekas (1), A. Damialis (1), C. Balafoutis (2), D. Papakosta (1), P. Giouleka (1), D. Patakas (1)

(1): Pulmonary Department, G. P. Hospital 'G. Papanikolaou', Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
(2): Meteorology-Climatology Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.

Allergy & Clin Immunol Int 2004; 16: 52-59

Abstract: The purposes of this study were (1) to create a database by identifying and recording the circulation of fungal spores (FS) of allergenic interest in the area of Thessaloniki and (2) to investigate the relationship between FS circulation and the main meteorological parameters (MP). The study involved the identification and taking daily records of the fluctuation of 15 airborne FS species, using a Burkard trap, as well as daily records of the main meteorological parameters (temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, sunshine and wind speed) over a 15-year period (February 1, 1987 - December 31, 2001), followed by statistical analysis. The majority of spores recorded in all 15 years belonged to Cladosporium spp., accounting for 72.2% of the overall total, followed by Alternaria spp. (9.8%), Ustilago spp. (8.1%), Ascospores (2.7%), Drechslera/Helminthosporium spp. (1.4%), Leptosphaeria spp. (1.2%), Agrocybe spp. (1.1%), Botrytis spp. (0.65%), Stemphylium spp. (0.64%), Pleospora spp. (0.58%), and Nigrospora spp. (0.57%); Fusarium spp., Epicoccum spp., Torula spp., and Phoma spp. were all less than 0.5%. It seems that an increase in sunshine or air temperature results in a rise in spore counts in the air; in contrast, a rise in relative humidity or rainfall often results in a decrease of airborne spore concentrations. Wind can have various influences on fungal spore circulation. Fifteen allergenic FS species were recorded in the area of Thessaloniki and Greece over a period of 15 years (1987-2001) and are presented for the first time as a Fungal Spore Calendar. The data could be important and provide the basis for many medical, biological, and other scientific field studies and applications.