Fungi may cause
UNIVERSITY PARK-
Those millions of Americans
bothered by what they
believe to be pollen in the air
may be troubled instead by
fungal spores, research at
Penn State indicates. Fungi
are much more abundant
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than pollen, usually at ratios
of 100 to 1, reports Dr.
Richard D. Schein, professor
of plant pathology at
University Park.
Speaking to members of
the Pennsylvania Allergy
Association in Hershey, Dr.
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Look For The Right One.
ERNEST SNOOK
F.
allergies
Schein said 99 per cent of the
air spores trapped in a three
year study were fungi.
In Europe, fungal spores
are known to cause allergic
respiratory diseases, Dr.
Schein said. In Great Britain
in particular, where much
research with spores has
been done, ragweed seldom
exists, he affirmed.
He claimed short duration
rams can produce very high
concentrations of 65,000
fungal spores per cubic
meter during a one-hour
period from one very
common mold known as
Cladosponum-Hermodendron
(One cubic meter equa
about 10 cubic feet). The
spores studied were
collected in Pittsburgh,
Philadelphia, and State
College and were considered
representative of the state
since spores are often
carried hundreds of miles by
air currents.
The largest numbers of
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fungal spores fill the at
mosphere from midnight to 6
a.m., it was pointed out.
They reach their peak
during short showers
anytime. Fungal spores
decrease sharply during
long, continuous rains.
“For all spores over the
three-year study, 57 per cent
were captured at night, and
nighttime loads were higher
than daytime levels 64 per
cent of the time,” Dr. Schem
stated.
“If you have patients who
complain of allergic disease
in showery or wet weather,
or at night, consider fungal
spores,” he suggested.
The allergists were
reminded that desen
sitization developments in
the U.S have centered
around pollen. A little in
terest was shown in fungi
during the 1930’5, he in
dicated, but the most
reliable research has come
during the last 20 years.
Most of that work,
nonetheless, has been
British.
“Despite the lack of
ragweed in Britain, late
VjT. *
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 13,1979
summer asthma and
respiratory diseases are
common there,” Dr. Schein
stated. “British plant
pathologists pioneered ef
ficient trapping of fungal
spores and their expertise
was seized upon by British
allergists in the late 1950’5. ”
In contrast with fungal
spores, ragweed pollen in the
Pittsburgh area reached its
highest one-hour level of
only 250 spores per cubic
meter. The average ragweed
pollen count was 53 spores
per cubic meter during an
hour’s time. During the
ragweek season, the highest
two-hour concentration was
600 pollen spores per cubic
meter.
“Almost half of all spores
trapped in our three-year
analysis were
Cladosporium,” he said.
“Cladosporium is plentiful
on grasses and is released
during drying conditions
when humidity drops and
wind increases.”
“Another major type is
the basidiospore including
common mushrooms, toad
stools, and puffballs. A
third type is the ascospore
Use caution cutting firewood
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which is very small and
usually exists in greatest
numbers at night.”
He showed in graphs that
fungal spores were trapped
every week of the year with
highest numbers present
from July through Sep
tember. Relatively high
concentrations are
sometimes found as late as
November, he noted.
When high daytime spores
occur, they are usually the
common mushrooms,
toadstools, or puffballs, he
explained. Short showers, as
opposed to long rains, also
increase daytime spore
levels.
A project report by Dr.
Schein and associates has
been published by the Center
for Air Environment Studies
at Penn State and is entitled
“Eastern U.S.
Aeroallergens.” Associated
with the project were Dr.
Jean Anthony Snow and Mrs.
Claire Martin Gesalman. Dr.
Leo Criep of Pittsburgh and
Dr. Jay Spiegleman of
Philadelphia, both
physicians, collaborated on
spore trapping.
for fireplaces and wood
burning heaters.
More and more people are
planning to take advantage
of the literal and figurative
warmth of this move “back
to basics.” But there are
more and more reports of
electrical outages because of
damaged power lines from
felled trees.
Pennsylvania Power &
light Co. cautions that when
you’re stopping by the woods
on a snowy evening on a
wood cutting chore, don’t
take chances. Keep an eye
out for overhead electrical
power lines. Make sure
there’s a clear area for your
falling tree. Make sure
there’s no chance of danger
from falling live wires.
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