Skip to main content
Log in

A fungal spore calendar for the atmosphere of Melbourne, Australia, for the year 1993

  • Published:
Aerobiologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A calendar of fungal spore seasons for Melbourne during 1993was established using a 7-day volumetric Burkard trap. Twenty-ninegenera and five spore groups were identified. The dominant spore typesdetected were Cladosporium (41.7%),Leptosphaeria (14.9%), Coprinus (14.6%),`Ascospore 1' (5.5%), Ganoderma (2.1%) andAlternaria (1.4%). Seasonally, spore levels ofCladosporium and Alternaria peaked in spring andsummer, Leptosphaeria and Ganoderma peaked towardsummer and autumn, `Ascospore 1' peaked in winter, whilst spore levelsof the basidiomycete Coprinus fluctuated year round. Inconclusion, a range of allergenic fungal spores were present in the airof Melbourne throughout the year.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abramson M., Pearson L., Kutin J., Czarny D., Dziukas L. and Bowes G.: 1994, Allergies, upper respiratory tract infections, and asthma. J Asthma 31, 367–374.

    Google Scholar 

  • Agarwal M.K., Jones R.T. and Yunginger M.D.: 1982, Shared allergenic and antigenic determinants in Alternaria and Stemphylium extracts. J All Clin Imm 70, 437–444.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cosentino S., Fadda M.E. and Palmas F.: 1995, Pollen and mould allergy in Southern Sardinia (Italy): comparison of skin-test frequencies and air sampling data. Grana 34, 338–344.

    Google Scholar 

  • Derrick E.: 1965, Airborne pollen and spores in Melbourne. Aust J Bot 14, 49–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Derrick E. and McLennan E.I.: 1963, Fungus spores found in the air in Melbourne (Victoria), Australia. Acta Allergol 18, 26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ebner M.R., Haselwandter K. and Frank, A.: 1992, Indoor and outdoor incidence of airborne fungal allergens at low-and high-altitude alpine environments. Mycol Res 96, 117–124.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fillipello Marchisio V., Airaudi D. and Barchi C.: 1997, One-year monitoring of the airborne fungal community in a suburb of Turin (Italy) and assessment of its functional relations with the environment. Mycol Res 101, 821–828.

    Google Scholar 

  • Infante-Garcia-Pantaleon F., Galan-Soldevilla C., Dominguez-Vilches E., Angulo-Romero, J. and Mediavilla-Molina A.: 1992, Air spore microfungi in dwellings of south of Spain. Aerobiologia 8, 245–253.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gregory P.H.: 1973, The Microbiology of the Atmosphere. Leonard Hill.

  • Halwagy M.H.: 1994, Fungal airspora of Kuwait City, Kuwait, 1975–1987. Grana 33, 340–345.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawke P.R. and Meadows M.E.: 1989, Winter airspora spectra and meteorological conditions in Cape Town, South Africa. Grana 28, 187–192.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirst J.M.: 1953, Changes in atmospheric spore content: diurnal periodicity and the effects of weather. Transaction British Mycological Society 36, 375–392.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman D.R., Kozak P.P. and Greenville N.C.: 1979, Shared and specific allergens in mold extracts. J All Clin Imm 63, 213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horner W.E., Helbling A., Salvaggio J.E. and Lehrer S.B.: 1995, Fungal allergens. Clin Microbiol Rev 8, 161–179.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kapyla M. and Penttinen A.: 1981, An evaluation of the microscopical counting methods of the tape in Hirst-Burkard pollen and spore trap. Grana 20, 131–141.

    Google Scholar 

  • Larsen L. and Gravesen S.: 1991, Seasonal variation of outdoor airborne viable microfungi in Copenhagen, Denmark. Grana 30, 467–471.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levetin E.: 1991, Identification and concentration of airborne basidiospores. Grana 30, 123–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Li C. and Hsu L.: 1995, Fungus allergens inside and outside the residences of atopic and control children. Archives Environ Health 50, 38–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Licorish K., Novey H.S., Kozak P., Fairshter R.D. and Wilson A.F.: 1985, Role of Alternaria and Penicillium spores in the pathogenesis of asthma. J All Clin Imm 76, 819–825.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitakakis T.: 1994, Environmental Monitoring of Airborne Fungal Propagules and their Allergens in Melbourne. Hons, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitakakis T., Ong E.K., Stevens A., Guest D. and Knox R.B.: 1997, Incidence of Cladosporium, Alternaria and total fungal spores in the atmosphere of Melbourne (Australia) over three years. Aerobiologia 13, 83–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ong E.K., Singh M.B. and Knox, R.B.: 1995, Seasonal distribution of pollen in the atmosphere of Melbourne: an airborne pollen calendar. Aerobiologia 11, 51–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmas F. and Cosentino S.: 1990, Comparison between fungal air-spore concentration at two different sites in the South of Sardinia. Grana 29, 87–95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Royes V.I.J.: 1987, Some components of the air spora in Jamaica and their possible medical application. Grana 26, 151–157.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaheen I.: 1992, Aeromycology of Amman area, Jordan. Grana 31, 223–228.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shepherd C.J. and Totterdell C.J.: 1988, Mushrooms and Toadstools of Australia. Inkata Press, Melbourne.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shivpuri D.N. and Agarwal M.K.: 1969, Studies on the allergenic fungal spores of the Delhi, India, metropolitan area. J All 44, 204–213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh A., Gangal S.V. and Singh A.B.: 1994, Airborne fungi in the hospitals of metropolitan Dehli. Aerobiologia 10, 11–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith E.G.: 1984, Sampling and Identifying Allergenic Pollens and Molds. Blewstone Press, San Antonio, Texas.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith E.G.: 1986, Sampling and Identifying Allergenic Pollens and Molds. Volume II. Blewstone Press, San Antonio, Texas.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sneller M.R. and Roby, R.R.: 1979, Incidence of fungal spores at the homes of allergic patients in an agricultural community. I. A 12-month study in and out of doors. Ann All 43, 225–228.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sward-Nordmo M., Almeland T.L. and Aukrust L.: 1984, Variability in different strains of Cladosporium herbarum with special attention to carbohydrates and contents of two important allergens (Ag-32 and Ag-54). Allergy 39, 387–394.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tarlo S.M., Bell B., Srinivasan J., Dolovich J. and Hargreave F.E.: 1979, Human sensitization to Ganoderma antigen. J All Clin Imm 64, 43–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tee R.D., Gordon D.J. and Newman Taylor A.J.: 1987, Cross-reactivity between antigens of fungal extracts studied by RAST inhibition and immunoblot technique. J All Clin Imm 79, 627–633.

    Google Scholar 

  • Verma J., Sridhara S., Singh B.P. and Gangal S.V.: 1995, Studies on shared antigenic/allergenic components among fungi. Allergy 50, 811–816.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vijay H.M., Burton M. and Young N.M.: 1991a, Cross reactivity of extracts of Cladosporium species and Alternaria alternata. J All Clin Imm 87, 180.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vijay H.M., Burton M., Young N.M., Copeland D.F. and Corlett M.: 1991b, Allergenic components of isolates of Cladosporium herbarum. Grana 30, 161–165.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Zubiria A., Horner E. and Lehrer S.B.: 1990, Evidence for cross-reactive allergens among basidiomycetes: Immunoprint-inhibition studies. J All Clin Imm 86, 26–33.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mitakakis, T.Z., Guest, D.I. A fungal spore calendar for the atmosphere of Melbourne, Australia, for the year 1993. Aerobiologia 17, 171–176 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011028412526

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011028412526

Navigation