<i>Ambrosia</i> (ragweed) pollen - A growing aeroallergen of concern in South Africa.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Ragweed is an invasive, highly allergenic weed predicted to expand its habitat with warming global temperatures. Several Ambrosia species have been identified in South Africa for well over a century; however, its presence remained undetected by allergists and aerobiologists until the development of an extensive aerospora monitoring system across South African urban areas since 2019. This paper presents the inventory of preliminary investigation of the Ambrosia airborne pollen and the taxonomic identification of ragweed species.

Methods

Burkard volumetric spore traps for collecting pollen samples are set up in 9 South African cities (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pretoria, Kimberley, Durban, Potchefstroom, Ermelo, Bloemfontein, and Gqeberha). Light microsc

SUBMITTER: Gharbi D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11652763 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature