Ezikanyi Dimphna N, Sakwari Gloria, Nnamani Catherine V
Department of Applied Biology, Faculty of Science, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Science, Tanzania.
Allergol Immunopathol (Madr). 2018 Nov-Dec;46(6):599-606. doi: 10.1016/j.aller.2018.03.008. Epub 2018 Jul 25.
Aeroallergens are airborne organic substances which are responsible for allergenic diseases in hypersensitive individuals. People are exposed to their allergens either directly or after their entrance into the interiors. The spatio-temporal pattern of aeroallergens and their relationship with weather variability in Abuja and Nassarawa, North-Central Nigeria was studied.
Aerosamples were trapped with modified Tauber-like pollen traps. Samples were collected monthly and centrifuged at 2500rpm for 5 min and subjected to acetolysis. Meteorological data were collected from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency.
Aeroallergens concentration were unequivocally regulated by weather variables in both locations, indicating the possible use of aeroallergens especially pollen and spores as bio-indicators of weather variations and change. Aeroallergens encountered were fungal spores, pollen, diatom frustules, fern spores, algal cyst/cells in decreasing order of dominance. Among pollen group, Poaceae, Amarathaceae/Chenopodiaceae and Hymenocardia acida dominated. Spores of Smut species, Puccinia, Curvularia and Nigrospora were major contributors among aeromycoflora. Fungal spores morphotype dominated during the rainier months and were major contributors of the aeroallergen spectrum with those belonging to Deuteromycete preponderant. Aeroallergens which were previously identified as triggers of conjunctivitis, asthma, allergic sinusitis and bronchopulmonary allergic diseases were frequently present in both locations. Pollen prevailed more during the harmattan, influenced by northeast trade wind. Pollen component differed and was based on autochthonous source plants, indicating difference in sub-vegetational types.
空气过敏原是空气中的有机物质，可导致过敏个体患上过敏性疾病。人们直接接触这些过敏原，或者在它们进入室内后接触到。本研究了尼日利亚中北部阿布贾和纳萨拉瓦的空气过敏原时空模式及其与天气变化的关系。
使用改良的类陶伯花粉捕集器收集空气样本。每月收集样本，以2500转/分钟的速度离心5分钟，然后进行乙酰解。气象数据从尼日利亚气象局收集。
两个地点的空气过敏原浓度均受到天气变量的明确调节，这表明空气过敏原尤其是花粉和孢子可能可作为天气变化的生物指标。所遇到的空气过敏原按优势度递减顺序为真菌孢子、花粉、硅藻壳、蕨类孢子、藻类囊肿/细胞。在花粉类别中，禾本科、苋科/藜科和酸膜叶属占主导地位。黑粉菌属、柄锈菌属、弯孢属和黑孢霉属的孢子是空气真菌群落的主要贡献者。真菌孢子形态型在降雨较多的月份占主导地位，是空气过敏原谱的主要贡献者，其中以半知菌类为主。先前被确定为结膜炎、哮喘、过敏性鼻窦炎和支气管肺过敏性疾病触发因素的空气过敏原在两个地点都经常出现。在受东北信风影响的哈马丹期间，花粉更为普遍。花粉成分不同，基于本地源植物，表明植被亚型存在差异。
