Spring pollen and related allergies in southern Spain.

Over the last 10 years, there has been an increase in pollen allergies throughout Europe; this trend is clearly reflected in this study carried out in Córdoba (southern Spain) over 7 consecutive years, which recorded important increases in the concentrations of certain pollen types of particular interest in this city, together with an increase in the number of patients with pollinosis visiting the Allergy Unit at Córdoba's Reina Sofía University Hospital. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether these two trends were related. Sampling was carried out from 1984 to 1990, using a Burkard spore trap placed at a height of approximately 15 m on a building situated in the city center. The trend towards an annual increase in the concentration of pollen grains was positive in all cases, although very slight for Quercus and very marked for Olea europaea. However, a different pattern of behavior was recorded with respect to the correlation between pollen concentration and cases of pollinosis, a correlation which varied according to taxa.

Variations in the concentrations of airborne Olea pollen and associated pollinosis in Córdoba (Spain): a study of the 10-year period 1982-1991.

The amount and the seasonal and daily changes in the concentrations of Olea pollen grains in the atmosphere of Córdoba (Spain) have been studied over a 10-year period. The year by year seasonal variation pattern and the theoretical intradiurnal variation model are presented. The data show a high annual variability, median concentrations varying from 75 g/m3/h in 1983 to 1413 g/m3/h in 1986. A steady increase in the total amount of pollen is attributed to the climatological characteristics of the period studied. On the other hand, the clinical data show that the number of cases of Olea allergy has increased considerably during this period, probably more because of changes in the quality of the atmosphere than because of the increase in the amount of antigen present in the air.