FUNGAL AIRSPORA OF KUWAIT-CITY, KUWAIT, 1975-1987

Continuous sampling of airpsora in Kuwait City was carried out daily over a period of 12 years, 41 spore types were identified. Two periods of maximum concentration were recorded yearly; the higher in spring and the lower in autumn. Two periods of lower concentration were also observed; one in summer and a lower one in winter. Concentrations varied from year-to-year, the highest was in 1978. From 1980 onwards a decrease in concentration was observed which reached its lowest point in 1986, probably because of the long dry spells, and the destruction of vegetation during the Iraq-Iran war. The results obtained were used to construct the first spore calendar for Kuwait which may be of use in the fields of allergy and plant pathology in Kuwait and possibly also in adjacent countries (S. Iraq and NE Saudi Arabia).