Interest Groups

Chairman: Prof. Gennaro D’Amato (Naples, Italy)

Secretary: Dr. Marta Orta (Pamplona, Spain)

The business meeting was held during EAACI Paris Congress, the 8th June at 12.30 h. The number of participants was about 20 people who left e-mail addresses to be in contact for participating in future tasks. D’Amato and Orta welcomed everybody and reported the activity held from Naples Congress 2002. The assistants shortly described their professional activity within the field of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and which is their special interest in Aerobiology and Pollution.

The group proceeded afterwards to the election of new Chairman and Secretary following EAACI instructions. Both Gennaro D’Amato as Chairman and Marta Orta as Secretary were unanimously re-elected up to 2005.

The scientific program developed was the following:

* Presentation of the WHO Document on ''Allergies and phenology'', by Sergio Bonini, who described the document and suggested to visit the website www.euro.who.int/globalchange to obtain more information.

* Sigfried Jaeger talked about European Aerobiology Networks, giving everybody a whole view about the networks that can be consulted to be well informed about the interaction between aerobiology and pollution.

* Dimitros Gioulekas and his group from Greece gave an overview of their works about the usefulness of developing an aerobiological network for people assisting and participating in Athens 2004 Olimpic Games, information that can be consulted and completed on the website www.aeroallergen.gr

* Lorenzo Cecchi from Florence (Italy) talked on behalf of his group about their works in relationship between meteorological factors and hospital admissions for asthma, joining the brief summary which follows:

The relationship between asthma and weather has been poorly studied and published data are controversial. Until now, daily average values of temperature, relative humidity and other meteorological parameters have been used to investigate their impact on asthma attacks, but separately. An important limit lies in the lack of studies evaluating the influence on hospital admissions determined by combined effects of the meteorological factors.
Furthermore, meteorological data have been so far handled by doctors instead of meteorologists representing this another possible limit. Given that, a group composed by biometeorologists and doctors in Florence has been formed; the biometeorologists work for the Institute of Biometeorology (National Research Council) and the doctors are part of the Interdepartmental Centre of Bioclimatology (University of Florence). We proposed a new approach in the studies on the influence of weather discomfort conditions on hospital admissions due to asthma attacks, using biometeorological indices. These indices are represented by tables or simple empiric equations that provide results expressed as "apparent temperature", that is a measure of well being or discomfort due to the combination of some
meteorological parameters (i.e. air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed). The most and widest used are Steadman's Apparent Temperature Index
and Wind chill Index.
A new research to evaluate the influences of the passage of air masses with different origins on hospital admissions has been also started. The group is interested in creating an european network among people investigating the combined effects of meteorological and aerobiological factors and pollutants. These studies could represent the background for developing environmental watch/warning systems for asthmatic patients.

* The secretary hasn’t received similar summaries from the other participants.

The main new projects for next year are:

- Ask the Executive Committee for a Task Force to prepare a position paper on ''Pollen grains and air pollution in Europe as causes of respiratory allergy''

- To create an award for a junior researcher or new group of work on the topic of Aerobiology and air pollution.

The activities carried out on behalf of the group in Paris Congress were a Meet the Professor Seminar chaired by Gennaro D’Amato and two Poster Discussion Sessions: ''Outdoor and Indoor pollution'' and ''Aerobiology and allergens'' moderated each by Gennaro D’Amato and Marta Orta.
All these sessions were followed by very participative people interested on topics treated. The posters presented were of a high quality and very well defended by their authors. In the business meeting people were enhanced to attend all the sessions related.

We join the committee report template with budget for 2004.

The Business Meeting was closed by the Chairman at 13.30h

Paris, 8th June, 2003,

Gennaro D’Amato Marta Orta

Chairman Secretary

Allergies in a Changing Environment in Europe
21 March 2012, Brussels, EU-Parliament

BUSINESS MEETING EAACI INTEREST GROUP “AEROBIOLOGY AND POLLUTION”.

Goteborg, 11 June 2007

Chairman: Carlos Nunes (Portugal)

Secretary: Lorenzo Cecchi (Italy)

1. The business meeting was held during Goteborg EAACI Congress, the 11th June at 17.30 h. The number of participants was about 20 people. All participants were welcomed by the Chairman and Secretary, and they agreed to be in contact for participating in future tasks as interested in Aerobiology and Pollution topics.

The activity held from Vienna Congress 2006 was reported in terms of the participation of the IG on 8th Congress on Aerobiology in Neuchatel, Switzerland in August 2006, hosted by the International Association on Aerobiology where our IG was strongly implicated and a Joint Symposium was done. We have submitted a manuscript entitled “Allergenic Pollen and Pollen Allergy in Europe” to Allergy Journal and it is going to be published in the next months.

2. The program developed during one year that we are in charge :

1 Proposal to ExComm to build a European Pollen Map. After negotiation with Nikko as webmaster and Roy (new EAACI President), we are waiting for new development of this project.

2 We have given some contributions for the EAACI website, where there is information about Aerobiology and Pollination and links with Aerobiology websites were created to contact with national Allergy Societies.

The group also participates actively on the EAACI Newsletter. i. The activities during the EAACI 2007 Congress were announced. In Goteborg the IG have organized a postgraduate course with hands-on, and had successful to have financial support, although EAACI ExCom has deliberated that this PGCourse should be paid contrary to our expectative. ii. One Workshop “Global warning in allergy. Travelling Pollens” iii. One Oral abstract Session – with 6 presentations iv. Presentation of 51 posters, related to aerobiology and pollution.

3. The projects for the next two years will be: a. To collect information about studies done inside EAACI context about Aerobiology and Pollution. b. Build a network relating to type and quantity of pollens in every country whose national society is integrated in EAACI can be created to build an European Pollen Map, which can be integrated worldwide with AAAAI and WAO. c. Promote studies on indoor allergens and draw a plan to promote a forum. d. Elaborate a proposal to organize a summer course to 2008 or 2009 , perhaps in Italy. e. To promote having at least one EAACI member per national society member inside the Interest Group, to share information regarding pollution and pollinosis among different countries.

4.- Chairman has remembered that this IG changed at middle of the mandate due to quit of former chairman Marta Orta on the Vienna Congress. The changes were approved by ExComm. However and considering the by laws of EAACI that the chairman and secretary of Section should stop their mandate at the terminus of Board of Officers of EAACI, Carlos Nunes told to every participants that asked to ExComm, since April 2007, through General Secretary regarding the need to elections inside the IG. He has informed that no answer was received. So, Carlos as Chairman and Lorenzo as Secretary, have been put their positions as free, if the assembly consider it. After some interventions (Gennaro D´Amato, Heidrun Behrendt, Bernard Clot, etc.), a consensus was developed and unanimously their have received agreement to continuous their positions and tasks until Barcelona 2008. Their job and task has received very positive considerations.

5 - Chairman told that the BM was open to receive and consider new projects and Diana Krmpotiæ (Croatia) and Michel Thibaudon (France) presented their projects to all participants, which received positive comments.

The board will be chaired by:

1. Carlos Nunes (Portugal)- Chairperson- cn@imunoalergologia .com

2. Lorenzo Cecchi (Italyl)- Secretary- lorenzo.cecchi@unifi.it

6. The Business Meeting was closed by the Chairman at 18.30 h

Goteborg, 11th June, 2007,

Carlos Nunes Chairman Lorenzo Cechi Secretary

The business meeting was held during Munich WAO-EAACI Congress, the 27th June at 15.30 h.

The number of participants was about 20 people, welcomed by the Chairman and Secretary, and who agreed to be in contact for participating in future tasks as interested in Aerobiology and Pollution topics.

The activity held from Amsterdam Congress 2004 was reported in terms of the participation of the IG of the Summer School Held in Madeira (Portugal) in August 2004, hosted by the Portuguese Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology where the IG was strongly implicated. We have fighted this year for the developing of a new Task Force in “Aerobiology and Environment”, which has not been successful by the moment.

- The program developed during Munich BM was the following:
- Gennaro D’Amato as Chairman and Marta Orta as Secretary informed about the last Business Meetings since the Interest Group was born. The projects actively developing in the Interest Group, such as the contributions for the EAACI website, are giving actual information about Aerobiology and Pollination and links with Aerobiology websites have been created to contact with national Allergy Societies. The group also participates actively on Newsletter issues giving knowledge of the group life. Appropriate contact with national and international networks collecting data about biometeorological agents and pollination, interested on forecasting this information through this organs, is punctually recollected. The Secretary announced all the events to be held during the congress hosted by the Interest Group. .

- The projects for the next two years will be:
1.To collect information about studies done inside EAACI context about Aerobiology and Pollution. A network relating to type and quantity of pollens in every country whose national society is integrated in EAACI can be created.
2. To connect with indoor allergen studies.
3.To have this information ready for colleagues and patients over the EAACI website
4.To organize some workshop or meeting inside EAACI congresses to have knowledge of the work developed inside the IG.
5. To promote studies of levels of pollution and their eventual implication on the prevalence of respiratory diseases such as rhinitis and asthma.
6. To ask and develop a new Task Force on “Aerobiology and Pollution”, defining a Position Paper related to trees and other plants whose pollination can develop allergic disease in humans
7. To promote having at least one EAACI member per national society member inside the Interest Group, to share information regarding pollution and pollinosis among different countries.
8. To keep on asking to the Executive Committee for a Task Force to prepare an actualized Position Paper on “Pollen grains and air pollution in Europe as causes of respiratory allergy” and to collaborate with the Junior Members and young researchers regarding the possibility of creating an award for a work on the topic of Aerobiology and Air Pollution. .

AMSTERDAM, 13th June 2004

Chairman: Prof. Gennaro D’Amato (Naples, Italy)

Secretary: Dr. Marta Orta (Pamplona, Spain)

- The business meeting was held during EAACI Amsterdam Congress, the 13th June at 15.45 h. The number of participants was about 25 people, welcomed by the chairman and secretary, and who agreed to be in contact for participating in future tasks as interested in Aerobiology and Pollution topics. The activity held from Paris Congress 2003 was reported.

- The program developed was the following:

- Dr. Marta Orta informed about the last two Business Meetings since the Interest Group was born, held in Naples 2002 and Paris 2003. She also informed about the projects actively developing in the Interest Group, such as the contributions for the EAACI website, giving actual information and links with Aerobiology websites working inside national Allergy societies. The group also actively participates on Newsletter issues giving knowledge of the group life. Appropriate contact with national and international networks collecting data about biometeorological agents and pollination, interested on forecasting this information through this organs, is punctually recollected. The Secretary announced all the events to be held during the congress hosted by the Interest Group: there were 13 Posters on the topic Pollution and Environment and 61 on the topic Aerobiology and Allergens, a Main Symposium on Aerobiology and Pollution, and Allergy Forum of 6 oral communications; all the assistants where strongly encouraged to attend. She also informed the IX Palynological Congress will be held in Granada (Spain) in July 2004.

- Dr. Ana Todo Bom, the President of the Portuguese Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology informed the assistants about the EAACI Summer School to be held in Madeira (Portugal) in August 2004. There, the Interest Group will have an active participation, with the Chairman and the Secretary among the teachers and available to participate in every scientific event during the course they are required to.

- Gennaro D’Amato presented the observations from the Conference of European Environment Agency, recently celebrated in Dublin where he was invited to participate.

- Giuseppe Frenguelli reported the activity of the International Association of Aerobiology with great interest from the forum.

- Marta Orta informed about the Ist and IInd South Allergy Forums celebrated in Sitges (Spain) in 2003 and Sintra (Portugal) in 2004. Southern european societies feel they have common interests and problems and have tried to make a group, inside EAACI, where this worryings can be well understood and solutions can be found from similar situation. The forum is opened to the participation of other southern countries (e.g. Greece) and to the dialogue with the other societies from other european countries where Allergy is a well recognized speciality

- To finish the meeting we proceeded to talk about the projects for the next two years. The main projects for next year are:

- To keep on asking to the Executive Committee for a Task Force to prepare an actualized Position Paper on ''Pollen grains and air pollution in Europe as causes of respiratory allergy'' and to collaborate with the Junior Members Committee if the ExCom approves the creation of an award for a junior researcher or new group of work on the topic of Aerobiology and Air Pollution.

The Business Meeting was closed by the Chairman at 16.45 h

Amsterdam, 13th June, 2004

Gennaro D’Amato Marta Orta

Chairman Secretary

NAPLES,
2nd JUNE 2002

Chairman: Prof. Gennaro D'Amato (Naples, Italy)
Secretary: Dr. Marta Orta (Pamplona, Spain)

Our business meeting started in EAACI Naples Congress, the 2nd June at 13.30 h. The number of participants was 25 people, 20 of them left their e-mail in order to get in contact for future tasks. D'Amato and Orta asked everybody to shortly describe their professional activity within the field of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and send them a group of 15 keywords to define themselves professionally. These keywords will be collected in the future weeks by e-mail.

Our program was the following:

- Update of the work carried out by previous EAACI subcommittee on Aerobiology and Environment with the production of a book on ''Allergenic pollen and pollinosis in Europe'' and two position papers published in Allergy, one on ''Pollen-related allergy in Europe'' and another on ''Mould Allergy in Europe''.This update is useful to contact previous participants and asking them if they are available to work also in the context of the new IG.

- Creation of the new Interest Group Aerobiology and Pollution, starting activity from Naples Congress although the chairman and the secretary have been working since January 2002. The principal plans for our future work will be the creation of a website informing about pollen distribution and air pollution in Europe and information for patients. People were very interested and promised to answer our callings for help and contributions so the establishement of a network will be our task for next year.

- Proposal to the Executive Committee to create a Task-Force able to prepare a position paper on ''Air pollution and Respiratory Allergy in Europe''.

The activities carried out on the name of the group in the Congress were a Minisymposium titled ''Air Pollution and the Risk of Allergy'' which was held on Wednesday 5th June with Gennaro D'Amato and Tony Frew as chairmen, and abstracts presented in a Poster Discussion Session (number= 19), held on Tuesday 4th June and Poster Exhibition (number=45 for Aerobiology and Allergens and number= 4 for Pollution and Environment). All these sessions were followed by people very participative and interested on topics treated. The posters presented were all of a high quality and were very well defended by their authors. In the business meeting people were enhanced to attend all the sessions related.

From all that we can conclude our IGroup interests and attracts people working on topics Aerobiology and Pollution and it will be interesting to stimulate and develop activities deriving from its interest areas

Gennaro D'Amato
Chairman
Marta Orta
Secretary

IG Aerobiology and air pollution
EAACI-COST workshop
Epidemiological evidence on the links between aerotoxicants and allergic diseases

Berlin, October 13, 2011
Charité Hospital

Submitted by Dr Lorenzo Cecchi, Dr Isabella Annesi-Maesano and Prof Karl-Christian Bergmann

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