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Pollen is routinely monitored, but it is unknown whether pollen counts represent allergen exposure. We therefore simultaneously determined olive pollen and Ole e 1 in ambient air in Córdoba, Spain, and Évora, Portugal, using Hirst-type traps for pollen and high-volume cascade impactors for allergen. Pollen from different days released 12-fold different amounts of Ole e 1 per pollen (both locations P < 0.001). Average allergen release from pollen (pollen potency) was much higher in Córdoba (3.9 pg Ole e 1/pollen) than in Évora (0.8 pg Ole e 1/pollen, P = 0.004). Indeed, yearly olive pollen counts in Córdoba were 2.4 times higher than in Évora, but Ole e 1 concentrations were 7.6 times higher. When modeling the origin of the pollen, >40% of Ole e 1 exposure in Évora was explained by high-potency pollen originating from the south of Spain. Thus, olive pollen can vary substantially in allergen release, even though they are morphologically identical., (© 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The Internet SPRING site has been created by five pollen european nets in relation with the spanish telephony firm: SADIEL. The aim of this project is to propose different services for persons concerned by pollen allergy (patients, scientists, pharmaceutical firms...) and to provide forecasts across Europe. The project validation was done during four months, comparing forecasts, announced on the site, with the real data obtained weekly by the analysts. Each country was divided in several zones and each zone controlled by three or four analysis sites. For France, six zones were identified and controlled. Others european nets want to joint now the SPRING project and everybody concerned by pollens could be informed daily (by phone or wap) of the pollen concentrations and the allergenic risk in each part of Europe.