Is Bjerkandera Allergy Affected by the Arrival of Yellow Sand Dust?

Abstract

Yellow sand dust (“Asian dust”) is a meteorological phenomenon involving the long-range transport of atmospheric pollutants originating from the Taklamakan and Gobi deserts and the Loess plateau. Over one million tons of Asian dust particles are estimated to fall on Japan each year, 3000-5000 km away from their source regions. Yellow sand dust particles reach not only Asia but also the North American continent and Europe. Chemical analysis of these storms and microbiological studies of Asian dust have suggested that humans in the affected regions are exposed to communities of microorganisms that may cause various adverse health effects. 1 Recently, Kobayashi et al. 2 reported that Asian sand dust directly sampled with a bioaerosol sampler at a height of 400 m using a tethered balloon over Noto Peninsula, Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, contained Nocardiopsis spp., Bacillus spp., Streptomyces spp., and Bjerkandera spp. Ichinose et al. 3 reported the aggravating effects of Asian sand dust on lung eosinophilia in mice, and found marked eosinophil accumulation in the bronchial lavage fluid in mice stimulated with Bjerkandera spp. among these isolated strains in samples provided by Kobayashi (personal communication).