Exploring 50-years of fungal spore counts and GP consultation rates for asthma to explore their potential association

Background and aim High concentrations of outdoor airborne fungal spores have been associated with allergic sensitisation and exacerbation of asthma. In the UK, both fungal spore prevalence and episodic asthma display strong, overlapping seasonal characteristics, yet little research has been performed on their association. Counts for 50-years of UK-based, outdoor fungal spores and general practitioner (GP) consultations for asthmatic episodes will be analysed to investigate their association in a multivariate context. Methods Airborne fungal spore and pollen counts were performed in Derby/Leicester. These counts, along with publicly available data for air quality (DEFRA) and meteorological (Met Office) variables were aggregated to weekly sums or averages to match the resolution of national counts for GP consultations for asthma (Royal College of General Practitioners). Weekly counts for respiratory viral infections (UKHSA) and bank/school-holiday dates were also obtained for consideration as potential confounding effects. Time-series analyses will be used to explore a causal pathway between fungal spore counts and the rate of GP consultations for asthma. Results Descriptive analyses reveal varying seasonal trends for all counted variables. Peak asthma consultations in September, commonly known as ‘back to school asthma’, coincide with high airborne fungal spore concentrations for many allergenic taxa. Sharp peaks for varying fungal taxa are shown to occur at varying points across a year and may be related to spikes in asthma consultations. Conclusions This analysis will utilise perhaps the longest-running aerobiological sampling dataset within the UK. The temporal range of this data may be required to account for long-term fluctuations in fungal spore counts which can span multiple decades. It is hoped this ongoing analysis will help to understand the role of fungal spores in healthcare-seeking behaviour for asthma. Keywords Fungi, asthma, outdoor