Allergenic Pollen in Europe and in the Mediterranean Area
***** GRASS POLLEN ALLERGENS
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*****GRASS POLLEN ALLERGENSMarta Orta, M.D, Elena Ordoqui, M.D. Centro Médico de Alergia y Asma Pamplona (Spain) E-mail: morta@imqnavarra.com The botanical group of Poaceae is one of the most numerous in Nature, comprising nearly 700 genus and about 12.000 species. Grasses account about 20% of plant life in the planet, being useful as basic food source for animals (pasture) and humans (cereals). In Table I (1) components of Gramineae family are shown, distinguishing Cynodon as the only one of allergenic interest not included in subfamily Pooideae. TABLE I- GRAMINAE FAMILY Family Subfamily Tribe Genus Species Common name (Spanish) Lolium perenne Centeno silvestre Poeae Dactylis glomerata Caracolillo (Festuceae) Festuca pratensis Cañuela Poa pratensis Espiguilla
Alopecurus pratense Cola de zorro Agrostis alba Rastrero POOIDAE Avena sativa Avena GRAMINEAE (Festucoideae) Aveneae Holcus lanatus Heno-lanota Anthoxantum odolatun Grama de color Phalariss acuatica Hierba canaria Arrenatherum elatius Avenilla Trisetum flavescens Falsa avena
Secale cereale Centeno Hordeum vulgare Cebada
PANICOIDEAE Maydeae Sorghum helepnse Sorgo Zea mays Maíz
Wild grasses are a common cause of allergy in Europe. The best known are Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata), Timothy grass (Phleum pratense), Kentucky blue grass (Poa pratensis) and Lawn (Cynodon Dactylon), all easily distinguishable in ditches, meadows or embankments. Grass pollen grains have a granulated surface, with one single pore. There’s a high cross reactivity between different genus of Poaceae. They have about 20-45 m diameter, permitting the entrance quite deep into the airways, through the aerosolization of little sized particles of about 0.6 to 2.5 m. Each pollen grain spreads over 700 starch granules where allergens responsible of sensitization and symptoms are vehicled (2). Fig. 1 Fig. 2Optical microscope pollen view Electronic microscopic pollen view |
