ALLERGENIC POLLEN AND POLLINOSIS IN MADRID

Objective: A 15-year pollen count was performed in the atmosphere of M adrid, Spain, to determine the months in which the highest concentrati ons of allergenic pollens occur. Methods: Pollen counts were done with a Burkard spore trap (Burkard Manufacturing, Rickmansworth, Herst., U .K.). The results were subsequently compared with results of skin test s in patients with pollinosis born and living in and around Madrid. Re sults: The highest airborne presence (percent of total yearly pollen c ounts, mean of counts from 1979 to 1993) was for Quercus spp. (17%); f ollowed by Platanus spp. (15%), Poaceae (15%), Cupressaceae (11%) Olea spp. (9%), Pinus spp. (7%), Populus spp. (4%), and Plantago spp. (4%) . The most predominant pollens from January to April are tree pollens (Cupressaceae, Alnus, Fraxinus, Ulmus, Populus, Platanus, and Morus), although these are also abundant in May and June (Quercus, Olea, and P inus spp.). The grass pollination period shows a double curve: the fir st peak occurs from February to April (8% of yearly grasses), and the second peak occurs from May to July (90% of yearly grasses). Among all ergenically significant weeds, the most notable is Plantago; in contra st, Rumex, Urticaceae, Cheno-Amaranthaceae, and Artemisia spp. have ve ry low concentrations (less than or equal to 2% yearly total pollens). The most significant allergenic pollen is that of grasses, with a pre valence of positive prick test results of 94%, followed by Olea europa ea (61%), Plantago lagopus (53%), Platanus hybrida (52%), and Cupressu s arizonica (20%). Conclusion: The population of Madrid is exposed to high concentrations of allergenic pollen from February to July, althou gh the most intense period is from May to June. Grass pollens are the most important cause of pollinosis in this area.