July 6, 2016

For interviews and tours of the Delaware Valley’s only certified pollen and mold spore stations for the National Allergy Bureau (NAB) with stations, please email gwoodlyn@asthmacenter.com

“Today may be the first day of a heat wave for the Delaware Valley, but Outdoor Mold Spore levels have been extreme for almost a week,” reports Dr. Dvorin.

Outdoor mold spores today are over 9600 spores per cubic meter of air/24 period.  (Counts above 7000 are extreme and may provoke severe symptoms– see How We Count Pollen.)

“There has been an ebb and flow with the molds aspergillus-penicillium. Today these molds are elevated again well beyond what I have observed as the norm for our area.” warns Dr. Dvorin. 

Typically, aspergillus-penicillium counts are under 100 mold spores per cubic meter of air/24 period.  Today, aspergillus-penicillium counts are again over 1050 mold spores per cubic meter of air/24 period.  For more on mold allergy and the significance of aspergillus-penicillium mold spores in our local air samples, read our recent blog Tales from the Microscope: Unusual Mold Alert.

Historical Prospective

After counting today’s air samples, Dr. Dvorin reviewed the peaks for Outdoor Mold Spores for Delaware Valley for the last 6 years (2010 through 2015.)  Conventionally, outdoor mold spores are considered to be higher in the early fall months.  Four out of the six years (2010, 2011, 2014 & 2015) support this with peak counts (ranging from nearly 9000 to over 16000 mold spores per cubic meter of air/24 period) noted on days from early September through early October.  In 2013, a peak count nearly 19000 was recorded in late May, and in 2012, a count of nearly 14000 was observed in mid-July.  It is too soon to say that Outdoor Mold Spore levels are peaking; however, levels are consistently in the ranges seen as some of the peak days in the past six seasons of historical data.

Special Note for those with Allergies & Asthma:  In addition to the National Weather Service’s Excessive Heat Warnings for our region (which are in effect now through 6:00pm on Friday 7/8/2016, there Air Quality Alerts have been issued for Philadelphia and Camden Counties.

Today’s count:

Tree pollen and grass pollen are very low. 

 Weed pollen is moderate.  A greater variety of weed pollen is present with Plantago (English Plantain), Rumex (Sorrel & Dock weeds), and Typha (Cattail) all observed.

Outdoor Mold Spores are extreme.  Cladosporium molds are approximately 45% of the outdoor mold spores in our local air today.

Predominant: Outdoor Mold Spores & Weed Pollen

Now is the Time

With the traditional onset of Ragweed Pollen Allergy season only a few weeks away and other weed pollen already present at moderate levels, now is the time to get ready!  Ragweed is known to be a major allergen across the United States, and particularly so here in the Delaware Valley.  However, there are a variety of other weeds that pollinate earlier than ragweed which may provoke symptoms.  Pollen from weeds like English Plantain, Sorrel & Dock Weeds and Cattails are present at moderate levels in the Delaware Valley today. If you (or someone you love) typically has allergy, asthma, and/or sinus symptoms in the fall months, now is the time to identify your allergic sensitivity and prepare your treatment plan.

Clockwise starting from the top left: Plantago (English Plantain), Rumes crispus (Curly Dock), Typha (Cattail), & Rumex acetosa (Sheep Sorrel)

At The Asthma Center, our goal is to personalize your treatment to help you find relief.  We accomplish this through identifying your allergies and specific levels of allergic sensitivity through allergy skin testing including testing for ragweed and other weed pollen (English Plantain, Pigweed, Cocklebur, Sheep Sorrel, Lamb’s Quarters, Yellow Dock, and Sagebrush). By following the local pollen counts, we are able to customize allergy regimens that prevent symptoms caused by taking too little, or too much allergy medication.

Make an appointment to see an allergist – Why Choose Us?

The best way to fight your allergies is to visit a board certified allergist, learn what your allergies are, create a treatment plan, and adjust as needed. No two allergy sufferers are alike, so don’t rely on over the counter medications when you could be targeting your symptoms with the help of our allergy experts!  At The Asthma Center, we know that no two individuals are alike, and our goal is to personalize your treatment to help you find relief.  We accomplish this through identifying your allergies and specific levels of allergic sensitivity through allergy skin testing to help you plan your treatment. By following the local pollen counts, we are able to customize allergy regimens that prevent symptoms caused by taking too little, or too much allergy medication.

Did You Know – Pollen & Mold Spore Counts Direct to Your Inbox!

The Asthma Center’s daily Pollen and Mold Spore Count, the Delaware Valley’s only Official count station which is certified by the National Allergy Bureau are now available via email. Subscribe to receive our daily counts by email or check out some of our other blog posts to learn more about what is in the air, how it can affect you, and what you can do about it.