PIONEERING THE PRACTICE of allergy in a new country requires extensive research and investigation about the environmental allergenic factors . Newmark in his comprehenhensive review of POLLEN Aerobiology, has emphasized the universal importance of these studies . The author,s experience and personal communication with practicing allergists of Teheran has indicated that pollinosis is the most prevalent prevalent allergic condition requiring patients visits to allergy clinics This prompted the author to study the anemophilous plants of Teheran
Reprinted from ANNALS OF ALLERGY . volume 28.January,1970
Anemophilous allergenic plants of Tehran (Iran) have been studied during two pollen seasons by pollen slide and feld suruey.Three distict pollen seasons are described and etiologic factors of each is discusses.
POLLINOSIS IN IRAN
MAJID KIMIAYI, M.D.
Method
The following classic three-way approach was used for this purpose: 1) Identification of atmospheric pollens by simple slide studies during two pollen seasons (March through October , 1967-68) ;2) field survey , which was employed concomitantly for confirmation of exstence and abndance of the cor-responding plants; and 3) performing skin tests in pollinosis patients Hypo-sensization with the antigens of the regional pollens will be the subject of a subsequent paper
- from the Department of pediatrics and Allergy clinic , Gendarmerie Hospital Teheran , Iran
Microscopic slides coated with a thin layer of white petrolatum, were exposed daily in the north – west area of the city during two pollinating seasons. The pollen were identified daily in the north -west area of the city during two pollinating seasons .The pollen were identified after staning by Calberla solution Available atlases of pollen morphology, were used for accurate identification and in all in stances, samples of pollen taken directly from related plants, were employed for comparison. The results of our two year slide pollen studies, which were almost identical , are summarized in Table I.
DISCUSSION
There are three distinct pollinating seasons in Teheran : 1) The tree season which starts in early March and ends in early May .The following species of trees were found afound abundantly and iden tified as the important etiologic factors of early spring pollinosis in the Teheran are : sycamore (Patanus) Elm (UIMUS). Ash (Fraximus) and related species, Pine (Pinus), Mountain cedar (Juniperus) and Poplar (Populus). These are the most widely distributed trees of the side streets , the parks of Teheran and its metropolitan area. Pollen of sycamore, Elm and Ash were found in bundans during the tree pollinating season , and clinical sensitivity was prevalent in pollinosis patients who reacted to their extracts pine and cedar pollens , although on
The slides, did not seem to cause clinical sensitivity . pollen of pecan of pecan , which is a cultivated tree grown in the gardens and fruit orchards of the northern metropolitan area , were seen on the slides , and positive skin reactions occurred in some patients The poplar tree, al- though found in the area, was not proved to be of allergic importance either by pollen studies or by skin tests.
2) The grass season . This starts in late April and extends through May and June . The grass pollen were observed on the slides during this period and even in early in July . They are considered to be the second major cause of pollinosis (after weed s) in Teheran . Patients with late spring pollinosis showed positive skin reactions to grass antigens.
3)The weed season . pollen of chenopods were abundant on dlides from June until early October constituting the longeat period of pollination. Field survey revealed bushes of Russian Thistle (Salsola kali) and kochia on the empty lots in the city , dry lands and waysides of the metropolitan area . In lesser quantities , Lamb,s Quarters ( Chenopodium Allbum ) and the Pigweeds ( Amaranthus ) were found . English Plantain ( plan tago Lanceolata). Seen sparsely on the field , was not proved to be important allergenically either by slide studies or by the skin tests, pollen of plants related to the composite family especially Artemisia, were detected in small numbers during late spring and throughout the summer ; a few patients showed clinical sensitivity to them , namely Sagebrush, In the field survey numerous species of entemophilous composites , including Sages, were found. Ragweeds were absent and nosensitivity was detected on skin tasting to their extracts . Numerous skin tests have proved that Russian Thistle and Kochia are the most important and toxic weeds of Teheran causing the most bothersome summer hay fever symptoms in this area.
The results of our study correspond with investigations performed in the neghboring countries of Iran and Turkey.
References
1.newmark F.M: Pollen Aerobiology The Need for Research and compilation
Ann. Allergy . 26:358,1968
2. Kimiayi , M .: Incidence of Allergic diseases in a Rural population of Iran Report to Iranian Health corps, 1967.
3.sheldin, J.M. Lowell, R.G and Mathews K.P.: A Manual of Clinical Allergy (2nd Ed.) Philadelphia saunders Co , 1967.
4.Brown G. T: pollen Slide Studies. Springfield : Thomas, 1949.
5.McCrone, W.C. Draftz, R.G. and Delly J.G The Particle Atlas. Ann Arbor Ann Arbor Seience Publishers,1967.
6. Cenler Laboratories , A Guide for Atmospheric Pollen Counting and Differentia tion Port Washington . N.Y.
7.Ozkaragoz, K: Mold Spores and Other Inhalants as Etiologic Agents Agents for Respiratory Allergy in the Central Part of Turkey , j. Allerg. 40:21, 1967.
8.Karamanoglu K. and Ozkaragoz, K:A. Prehiminary Report on the Allergenic Plants of Ankara. Ann Allerg 25:23, 1967.
Requests for reprints should be addressed to:
Dr. M.Kimiayi
Elizabeth ii Blud,
40 North Kakh Auenue
Teheran , Iran
تاریخ انتشار روی سایت: 1391/2/30
