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National Allergy Bureau Pollen and Mold Certification Process
National Allergy Bureau Pollen and Mold Certification Process
Certification is a multi-step process and NAB Counters are certified separately as a pollen counter or as a mold counter to use a Burkard Spore Trap or the equivalent. Certification is offered to counting stations that agree to provide data on a timely bases to the NAB web site. Following the required training course(s), the candidate for certification will be required to take a web based qualifying exam The exam will cover the basics of pollen and fungal spore aerobiology, fundamentals of microscopy, sampler operation, and conversion of counts into concentration as outlined on the “Knowledge Base for Counters” developed by the NAB. Reference materials for the exam are also provided click here. (The exact material for the exam will be determined by the NAB Certification Committee). Following successful completion of the qualifying exam, the candidate will be permitted to take the practical exams using slides. The present system for slides to be sent to the candidates one at a time is described below. In the future, however, the exams may be administered at AAAAI and/or ACAAI annual meetings.
Pollen Counter
To be certified for pollen, a counter will need to successfully count and identify grass, weed and tree pollen grains on one pollen slide, which would represent spring, summer, and fall pollen types in most of the continental U.S. Once the slide is graded passing, the counter will be considered a certified NAB pollen counter and eligible to count and present data for the NAB aeroallergen network.
Mold Counter
To be certified for molds, a counter will need to successfully count and identify molds on a single slide. Once this slide is graded successful, the counter will be considered a certified NAB mold counter and eligible to count and present data for the NAB aeroallergen network.
Training
Before initiating the qualifying exam and slide testing process, counters should have completed at least one of the following “hands-on” pollen and spore identification programs:
AAAAI Basic Aeroallergen Course
ACAAI Basic Aeroallergen Course
Courses administered by Harriet Burge PhD.
Courses presented by Mike Muilenberg or Christine Rogers (www.aerobiologylab.com)
Courses presented by the Ochsner Clinic Foundation, 800-778-9353
To determine eligibility of other identification programs, please contact the NAB.
Certification Status
NAB certification will allow the counter to participate in the NAB Aeroallergen Network. This network presents daily pollen and molds counts on the web at www.aaaai.org/nab. NAB counters must be a member of the AAAAI or the ACAAI or participate in a station where the director is a member of one of these associations. NAB counters will have access to the NAB online database for posting their counts and storing their station data. NAB counters will have password protected access to the Counters Center of the NAB site. This center has a pollen and mold slide library, a counter listserv, a bibliography with pertinent web links, a counter and station operations manual. NAB counters meet once a year at the Counters Meeting held at the AAAAI Annual Meeting.
To start the certification process, please submit the completed counter questionnaire with appropriate supplemental materials to the NAB as outlined on the counter questionnaire.
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