Madeira-a tourist destination for asthma sufferers

Area of Science:

• Aerobiology
• Allergology
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Madeira Island boasts unique natural and climatic conditions conducive to fungal growth.
• Funchal, Madeira's capital, was hypothesized to have high airborne fungal spore and pollen grain concentrations.
• Understanding bioaerosol levels is crucial for public health, especially for allergic individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess airborne fungal spore and pollen grain concentrations in Funchal, Madeira.
• To investigate the relationship between bioaerosols, weather conditions, and land use.
• To compare airborne allergen levels with hospital asthma admission data.

Main Methods:

• Air sampling using a 7-day volumetric air sampler from 2003 to 2009.
• Microscopy analysis for identification and quantification of fungal spores and pollen.
• Spatial and statistical analyses to correlate bioaerosols with environmental factors and hospital data.

Main Results:

• Overall pollen and fungal spore concentrations in Funchal were found to be very low.
• Measured concentrations did not exceed clinically significant threshold values for allergies.
• Peak airborne allergen levels did not correlate with asthma outbreaks, particularly in winter.

Conclusions:

• Madeira Island, contrary to initial hypotheses, presents low levels of airborne fungal spores and pollen.
• The island may serve as a location relatively free from biological air pollution during summer months.
• This finding is significant for individuals with allergies seeking low-allergen environments.