Selected airborne allergenic fungal spores and meteorological factors in Szczecin, Poland, 2004-2006

Airborne fungal spore concentrations in Szczecin, Poland, were studied between 2004 and 2006 with the objective of determining a seasonal variation in the concentrations of selected fungal spore types in relation to meteorological parameters. The presence of spores of five taxa, namely, Cladosporium, Ganoderma, Alternaria, Leptosphaeria and Didymella, was recorded using a volumetric method (Hirst type). Fungal spores were present in the air in large numbers during the summer, with the highest concentrations recorded mainly in June, July and August. The peak concentrations of two of the studied spore types, Ganoderma and Alternaria, occurred in August, while the concentrations of Cladosporium, Leptosphaeria and Didymella spores were the highest in July. Multiple regression analysis was performed for three fungal seasons-2004, 2005 and 2006. Spore concentration was found to be positively correlated with the minimum temperature. For some spore types, there was also a significant correlation between concentrations, relative humidity and rain.