Increased levels of CO(2) and various greenhouse gases cause global warming and, in combination with pollutants from fossil fuel combustion and vehicular and industrial emissions, have been driving increases in noncommunicable diseases across the globe, resulting a higher mortality and morbidity. Respiratory diseases and associated allergenic manifestations have increased worldwide, with rates higher in developing countries. Pollen allergy serves as a model for studying the relationship between air pollution and respiratory disorders. Climate changes affect the quality and amount of airborne allergenic pollens, and pollutants alter their allergenicity, resulting in greater health impacts, especially in sensitized individuals.
Trend assessments suggest that poverty and health will worsen in the United States in the coming decades and that climate change will exacerbate these trends. An aging society, lack of affordable housing, and automation threaten the economic sustainability of millions of households. Despair, drug abuse, and unhealthy lifestyles have led to the first decline in life spans in the U.S. during a non-war period. Extreme weather events caused by climate change can be anticipated to disrupt economic activities and destroy homes and infrastructure, pushing millions of more Americans into poverty. A warming climate threatens vulnerable individuals, such as elders, with heat stress, increasing levels of air pollution, and increasing risks from new tropical diseases entering the country. It is anticipated that climate change will force tens of millions of Americans from their homes, creating The Great Migration (TGM) scenario. The welfare of the migrants will depend on what types of human settlements they migrate to. Seven different types of settlements are depicted within the TGM scenario, such as Willow Pond settlements that represent radical redesigns of suburbs to make them sustainable and resilient to climate change. Numerous recommendations are provided to foster positive outcomes with respect to TGM, including having the U. S. formally designate that the right to safe and adequate housing is a human right.
BACKGROUND: In August 2017, Hurricane Harvey caused unprecedented flooding across the greater Houston area. Given the potential for widespread flood-related exposures, including mold and sewage, and the emotional and mental toll caused by the flooding, we sought to evaluate the short- and long-term impact of flood-related exposures on the health of Houstonians. Our objectives were to assess the association of flood-related exposures with allergic symptoms and stress among Houston-area residents at two time points: within approximately 30 days (T1) and 12 months (T2) after Hurricane Harvey’s landfall. METHODS: The Houston Hurricane Harvey Health (Houston-3H) Study enrolled a total of 347 unique participants from four sites across Harris County at two times: within approximately 1-month of Harvey (T1, n = 206) and approximately 12-months after Harvey (T2, n = 266), including 125 individuals who participated at both time points. Using a self-administered questionnaire, participants reported details on demographics, flood-related exposures, and health outcomes, including allergic symptoms and stress. RESULTS: The majority of participants reported hurricane-related flooding in their homes at T1 (79.1%) and T2 (87.2%) and experienced at least one allergic symptom after the hurricane (79.4% at T1 and 68.4% at T2). In general, flood-exposed individuals were at increased risk of upper respiratory tract allergic symptoms, reported at both the T1 and T2 time points, with exposures to dirty water and mold associated with increased risk of multiple allergic symptoms. The mean stress score of study participants at T1 was 8.0 ± 2.1 and at T2, 5.1 ± 3.2, on a 0-10 scale. Participants who experienced specific flood-related exposures reported higher stress scores when compared with their counterparts, especially 1 year after Harvey. Also, a supplementary paired-samples analysis showed that reports of wheezing, shortness of breath, and skin rash did not change between T1 and T2, though other conditions were less commonly reported at T2. CONCLUSION: These initial Houston-3H findings demonstrate that flooding experiences that occurred as a consequence of Hurricane Harvey had lasting impacts on the health of Houstonians up to 1 year after the hurricane.
Extensive flooding caused by Hurricane María in Puerto Rico (PR) created favorable conditions for indoor growth of filamentous fungi. These conditions represent a public health concern as contamination by environmental fungi is associated with a higher prevalence of inflammatory respiratory conditions. This work compares culturable fungal spore communities present in homes that sustained water damage after Hurricane María to those present in dry, non-flooded homes. We collected air samples from 50 houses in a neighborhood in San Juan, PR, 12 and 22 months after Hurricane María. Self-reported data was used to classify the homes as flooded, water-damage or dry non-flooded. Fungi abundances, composition and diversity were analyzed by culturing on two media. Our results showed no significant differences in indoor fungal concentrations (CFU/m(3)) one year after the Hurricane in both culture media studied (MEA and G25N). During the second sampling period fungal levels were 2.7 times higher in previously flooded homes (Median = 758) when compared to dry homes (Median = 283), (p-value < 0.005). Fungal profiles showed enrichment of Aspergillus species inside flooded homes compared to outdoor samples during the first sampling period (FDR-adjusted p-value = 0.05). In contrast, 22 months after the storm, indoor fungal composition consisted primarily of non-sporulated fungi, most likely basidiospores, which are characteristic of the outdoor air in PR. Together, this data highlights that homes that suffered water damage not only have higher indoor proliferation of filamentous fungi, but their indoor fungal populations change over time following the Hurricane. Ultimately, after nearly two years, indoor and outdoor fungal communities converged in this sample of naturally ventilated homes.
Airborne pollen has major respiratory health impacts and anthropogenic climate change may increase pollen concentrations and extend pollen seasons. While greenhouse and field studies indicate that pollen concentrations are correlated with temperature, a formal detection and attribution of the role of anthropogenic climate change in continental pollen seasons is urgently needed. Here, we use long-term pollen data from 60 North American stations from 1990 to 2018, spanning 821 site-years of data, and Earth system model simulations to quantify the role of human-caused climate change in continental patterns in pollen concentrations. We find widespread advances and lengthening of pollen seasons (+20 d) and increases in pollen concentrations (+21%) across North America, which are strongly coupled to observed warming. Human forcing of the climate system contributed ∼50% (interquartile range: 19-84%) of the trend in pollen seasons and ∼8% (4-14%) of the trend in pollen concentrations. Our results reveal that anthropogenic climate change has already exacerbated pollen seasons in the past three decades with attendant deleterious effects on respiratory health.
Pollen and molds are environmental allergens that are affected by climate change. As pollen and molds exhibit geographical variations, we sought to understand the impact of climate change (temperature, carbon dioxide (CO(2)), precipitation, smoke exposure) on common pollen and molds in the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the largest urban areas in the United States. When using time-series regression models between 2002 and 2019, the annual average number of weeks with pollen concentrations higher than zero increased over time. For tree pollens, the average increase in this duration was 0.47 weeks and 0.51 weeks for mold spores. Associations between mold, pollen and meteorological data (e.g., precipitation, temperature, atmospheric CO(2), and area covered by wildfire smoke) were analyzed using the autoregressive integrated moving average model. We found that peak concentrations of weed and tree pollens were positively associated with temperature (p < 0.05 at lag 0-1, 0-4, and 0-12 weeks) and precipitation (p < 0.05 at lag 0-4, 0-12, and 0-24 weeks) changes, respectively. We did not find clear associations between pollen concentrations and CO(2) levels or wildfire smoke exposure. This study's findings suggest that spore and pollen activities are related to changes in observed climate change variables.
There is clear evidence that climate change is occurring as there has been an acceleration of global temperatures since the mid-nineteenth century along with rising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. It has been proposed that one of the most significant consequences of climate change on human health could be the impact on aeroallergens. Evidence from around globe has pointed to longer and more abundant pollen season associated with global warming. Additional studies have also suggested increased pollen allergenicity due to air pollution.
Rationale: Most studies of the healthcare utilization impact of pollen exposure have focused on emergency department visits or hospital admissions. However, other frequent but lower cost services-phone calls and e-mails to providers and office visits-may also be affected. Objectives: The objective of our study was to estimate the impact of tree and grass pollen exposures on respiratory-related healthcare utilization across a range of medical services, including calls and e-mails to providers, nonurgent face-to-face visits, urgent and emergent care visits, and hospitalizations. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of daily tree and grass pollen counts linked to electronic health records of Kaiser Permanente beneficiaries in the metropolitan Washington, DC, area for 2013-2014. Results: The proportion of Kaiser Permanente beneficiaries with respiratory-related healthcare utilization was significantly greater (for P ⩽ 0.05) given a 1 standard deviation increase in same-day pollen exposure. For tree pollen, a 1 standard deviation increase in same-day pollen exposure was associated with relative increases in utilization ranging from 1.77% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.07-4.17%) for urgent and emergent care visits to 12.84% (95% CI, 11.02-14.65%) for provider calls/e-mails. For grass pollen exposure, a 1 standard deviation increase in same-day pollen exposure was associated with relative increases in utilization ranging from 1.42% (95% CI, 0.39-2.46) for provider face-to-face visits to 11.09% (95% CI, 9.26-12.92) for provider calls/e-mails. Conclusions: Increased pollen exposure was associated with increases in healthcare utilization across a range of services, with relatively higher increases in provider calls/e-mails and lower increases in emergent or acute care. If climate change increases intensity and geographic scope of pollen exposure as predicted and if this study’s estimates of association of peak pollen exposure on healthcare utilization are generalizable, then the impact of climate change on healthcare utilization may be significant.
PURPOSE: Studies have implicated temperature and humidity in the pathogenesis of allergic conjunctivitis (AC), as these conditions facilitate air particulate and aeroallergen dispersion and tear film instability. Research also suggests that variation in temperature is associated with risk of asthma, but similar data are limited for AC. This study examined associations between several meteorologic conditions, including temperature variation, and AC visit risk. DESIGN: Retrospective, case-crossover study. METHODS: Data on individuals diagnosed with AC (via International Classification of Diseases-Ninth Edition [ICD-9]) at a Veterans Affairs clinic from January 2010-December 2013 was extracted. Local climate data were obtained from the National Climactic Data Center. Utilizing a case-crossover design, all cases were assigned a random control date 90-250 days prior to diagnosis. Daily time-lagged exposures were computed for 30-day lags. The associations between temperature, temperature variation (standard deviation [SD] of temperature), relative humidity (RH), and temperature-RH interaction with visit risk were examined via multivariate logistic regression models both at the national level and across domestic climate regions. RESULTS: Overall, 74,951 subjects made 116,162 visits for AC. Prevalence was highest in spring (>10% April-May) in the Northeast (NE) and Southeast (SE) (>15%), and lowest in winter (<6.1% December-February) in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) (<5%). AC visit risk was positively associated with temperature (OR 1.028, P < .001), SD of temperature (OR 1.054, P < .01), and temperature-RH interaction (OR 1.0003, P < .01), whereas it was negatively associated with RH (OR 0.998, P < .001). Regionally, the PNW, NE, and Lower Midwest (LMW) accounted for the strongest associations. CONCLUSION: Temperature, temperature variation, and RH associated with AC visit risk. Observed associations were strongest in northern regions, like the PNW.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between allergic sensitivity and pollen counts in patients with allergic respiratory disease (ARD) and its relationship with atmospheric pollutants. METHODS: From 2012 to 2018, we evaluated the sensitivity by skin prick test in ARD patients. The pollen counts were analyzed according to international guidelines (2014-2018). The pollutant and meteorological data were obtained at the same time from AIRE-CDMX websites. We analyzed the association between allergic sensitivity and pollen counts using the χ2 test and stratified by disease allergic rhinitis (AR) and AR with asthma (ARwA), periods (before/after 2015), and pollination seasons (S1:2014-2015), (S2:2015-2016), (S3:2016-2017), (S4:2017-2018). Likewise, we correlated the pollen counts with the concentrations of pollutants using Pearson’s correlation. For all analyses, we used SPSS v.21 software, and a p-value <0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: A total of 520 patients were enrolled, of whom 67.3% had ARwA and 33.7% had AR (p<0.05). The frequency of patients allergic to at least one pollen was higher compared with patients sensitive to indoor allergens (55.3% vs 44.6%, p<0.001). A total of 46.8% of the patients were only sensitive to trees in comparison to other outdoor allergens (p<0.001). The Fraxinus sp. and the Cupressaceae family allergens were approximately two times more frequent than the other tree allergens in both diseases (p<0.05). These pollens doubled their counts since 2015 (p<0.001), which was associated with increases in sensitivity for Fraxinus sp. and the Cupressaceae family compared to previous years (p<0.001). Regarding pollutants, the most significant correlations were with PM(10), NO(2), PM(CO) for Fraxinus sp. pollen concentrations in all seasons (p≤0.02). CONCLUSION: The high increases in pollen counts of the Fraxinus sp. and Cupressaceae family were associated with increases in the frequency of sensitization to these species, and this phenomenon correlated with increases in PM(10), NO(2), and PM(CO).
Pollen grains may contain allergens that exacerbate allergic respiratory diseases like asthma and rhinitis. In the presence of water, pollen grains (10-100 μm) can rupture to produce sub-pollen particles (SPP) with diameters <2.5 μm, which in comparison to intact pollen grains, have longer atmospheric lifetimes and greater penetration to the lower lung. The current study examines SPP, fungal spores, and bacteria in size-resolved atmospheric particulate matter (PM) using chemical and biological tracers. During springtime tree pollen season in Iowa City, Iowa, fine particle (PM(2.5)) concentrations of fructose (a pollen chemical tracer) increased on rainy sampling periods, especially during severe thunderstorms, and peaked when a tornado struck nearby. Submicron fluorescent particles, measured by single-particle fluorescence spectroscopy, were also enhanced during rain events, particularly thunderstorms in agreement with the chemical tracer measurements. PM(2.5) sucrose (a pollen chemical tracer) concentrations were higher in early spring when nighttime temperatures were closer to freezing, while fructose concentrations were higher in late spring with warmer temperatures, consistent with chemical tracers being sensitive to seasonal temperature influences. The first co-located measurements of fructose and Bet v 1 (birch pollen allergen), indicated that SPP ranged in diameter from <0.25 to 2.5 μm during rainy sampling periods and that allergens and carbohydrates exhibited distinct size distributions. Meanwhile, mannitol (a fungal spore tracer) peaked on warm, dry days following rain and was primarily in supermicron particles (>1.0 μm), which is consistent with intact fungal spore diameters (1-30 μm). Bacterial endotoxins in PM also increased during extreme weather events, primarily in supermicron particles. While the concentrations of fructose, mannitol, and endotoxin all increased in PM(2.5) μm during thunderstorms, the greatest relative increase in concentration was observed for fructose. Together, these observations suggest that SPP containing starch granules and allergens (Bet v 1) were released during rainy sampling periods. This study advances the use of chemical tracers to track SPP and other bioaerosols in the atmosphere, by providing new insight to their size distribution and response to extreme weather conditions.
There is global evidence of a general increase in the incidence and prevalence of respiratory diseases including allergic rhinitis and associated asthma. This increase in turn, has been related, in part, to concurrent increases in carbon dioxide (CO(2)) and temperature on pollen production and allergic disease generated from plant-based sources of pollen. Such links to anthropogenic climate change has suggested three significant and interrelated consequences associated with respiratory allergies or disease. First, warmer temperatures and a longer frost-free growing season can influence pollen season length and temporal exposure to airborne aeroallergens. Second, both warmer temperatures and additional CO(2) can increase the amount of pollen, the seasonal intensity, from spring through fall. Thirdly, there is evidence from oak and ragweed that rising levels of CO(2) could increase the allergen concentration of the pollen and symptom severity. However, while these outcomes are of obvious consequence, they do not fully encompass all of the plant derived changes that could, directly or indirectly, influence aeroallergen production, exposure, and consequences for public health. In this overview, I will delve deeper into other plant-based links to climate/CO(2) that are consequential either directly or indirectly to allergic rhinitis and associated disease. Such interactions range from pollen morphology to fire occurrence, from volatile organic compounds to potential changes in pesticide usage. The goal in doing so is to provide a broader context and appreciation for the interactions between plant biology and climate that can also affect allergen production and human impact but which, to date, have received little recognition or research.
Respiratory diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis (AR) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affect millions worldwide and pose a significant global public health burden. Over the years, changes in land use and climate have increased pollen quantity, allergenicity and duration of the pollen season, thus increasing its impact on respiratory disease. Many studies have investigated the associations between short-term ambient pollen (i.e., within days or weeks of exposure) and respiratory outcomes. Here, we reviewed the current evidence on the association between short-term outdoor pollen exposure and thunderstorm asthma (TA), asthma and COPD hospital presentations, general practice (GP) consultations, self-reported respiratory symptoms, lung function changes and their potential effect modifiers. The literature suggests strong evidence of an association between ambient pollen concentrations and almost all respiratory outcomes mentioned above, especially in people with pre-existing respiratory diseases. However, the evidence on sub-clinical lung function changes, COPD, and effect modifiers other than asthma, hay fever and pollen sensitisation are still scarce and requires further exploration. Better understanding of the implications of pollen on respiratory health can aid healthcare professionals to implement appropriate management strategies.
Allergic diseases affect millions of children and adolescents worldwide. In this Review, we focus on allergies to food and airborne allergens and provide examples of prevalence trends during a time when climate change is of increasing concern. Profound environmental changes have affected natural systems in terms of biodiversity loss, air pollution, and climate. We discuss the potential links between these changes and allergic diseases in children, and the clinical implications. Several exposures of relevance for allergic disease also correlate with epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation. We propose that epigenetics could be a promising tool by which exposures and hazards related to a changing environment can be captured. Epigenetics might also provide promising biomarkers and help to elucidate the mechanisms related to allergic disease initiation and progress.
Climate change has been regarded as a threat to the human species on the earth. Greenhouse gasses are leading to increased temperatures on Earth besides impacting the humanity. These atmospheric conditions have shown to alter the release pattern of pollens and can change the timing and magnitude of pollen release with flowering plants. As pollen is responsible for respiratory allergies in humans, so climate change can adversely affect human health in susceptible individuals. In this review, we highlight the association between climate change, increased prevalence and severity of asthma, and related allergic diseases. Increased air pollution can alter the production of local and regional pollen. This altered pattern depends on bioclimatic parameters. As simulated with a pollen-release model and future bioclimatic data, warmer temperatures lead to an increased pollen count in some specific locations and for longer periods. Thus, anticipation of a future allergic disease burden can help public health agencies in planning to develop strategies in mitigating the unprecedented health challenges expected in future years.
The climate crisis poses a major challenge to human health as well as the healthcare system and threatens to jeopardize the medical progress made in recent decades. However, addressing climate change may also be the greatest opportunity for global health in the 21st century. The climate crisis and its consequences, such as rising temperatures, forest fires, floods, droughts, and changes in the quality and quantity of food and water, directly and indirectly affect human physical and mental health. More intense and frequent heat waves and declining air quality have been shown to increase all-cause mortality, especially among the most vulnerable. Climate warming alters existing ecosystems and favors biological invasions by species that better tolerate heat and drought. Pathogen profiles are changing, and the transmission and spread of vector-borne diseases are increasing. The spread of neophytes in Europe, such as ragweed, is creating new pollen sources that increase allergen exposure for allergy sufferers. In addition, the overall milder weather, especially in combination with air pollution and increased CO(2) levels, is changing the production and allergenicity of pollen. The phenomenon of thunderstorm asthma is also occurring more frequently. In view of the increasing prevalence of allergic diseases due to climate change, early causal immunomodulatory therapy is therefore all the more important. During a climate consultation, patients can receive individual advice on climate adaptation and resilience and the benefits of CO(2) reduction-for their own and the planet’s health. Almost 5% of all greenhouse gas emissions in Europe come from the healthcare sector. It thus has a central responsibility for a climate-neutral and sustainable transformation.
Invasive alien plants (IAPs) substantially affect the native biodiversity, agriculture, industry, and human health worldwide. Ambrosia (ragweed) species, which are major IAPs globally, produce a significant impact on human health and the natural environment. In particular, invasion of A. artemisiifolia, A. psilostachya, and A. trifida in non-native continents is more extensive and severe than that of other species. Here, we used biomod2 ensemble model based on environmental and species occurrence data to predict the potential geographical distribution, overlapping geographical distribution areas, and the ecological niche dynamics of these three ragweeds and further explored the environmental variables shaping the observed patterns to assess the impact of these IAPs on the natural environment and public health. The ecological niche has shifted in the invasive area compared with that in the native area, which increased the invasion risk of three Ambrosia species during the invasion process in the world. The potential geographical distribution and overlapping geographical distribution areas of the three Ambrosia species are primarily distributed in Asia, North America, and Europe, and are expected to increase under four representative concentration pathways in the 2050s. The centers of potential geographical distributions of the three Ambrosia species showed a tendency to shift poleward from the current time to the 2050s. Bioclimatic variables and the human influence index were more significant in shaping these patterns than other factors. In brief, climate change has facilitated the expansion of the geographical distribution and overlapping geographical distribution areas of the three Ambrosia species. Ecomanagement and cross-country management strategies are warranted to mitigate the future effects of the expansion of these ragweed species worldwide in the Anthropocene on the natural environment and public health.
Allergic diseases are a major public health problem globally and are increasing. The impacts of climate change on aeroallergens such as pollen and fungal spores and allergic respiratory diseases such as allergic asthma and allergic rhinitis have been considered since the early years of climate change and human health research, and exploration of this topic has accelerated over the past decade or so. This review examines the impacts of climate change on aeroallergens, including interactions with air pollutants, and the resulting impacts on allergic respiratory diseases. It discusses mitigation and adaptation in this context. It does this with a focus on advances over the last 2 years (2019 and 2020) to highlight research at the frontier of this field. It also explores the growing recognition of the need for a more holistic and integrated approach to environmental monitoring and exposure and presents the concept of the aeroexposome as a frame through which these impacts of climate change and responses to them could be viewed moving forward. As the evidence of impacts of climate change on aeroallergen production and atmospheric concentration, seasonality, distribution, and allergenicity mounts, crucial research demonstrating the resulting impacts on health outcomes such as aeroallergen sensitisation prevalence, asthma emergency department visits, and asthma hospitalisations is now emerging. It is vital that the momentum of the last decade continue with research to fill the many gaps that remain in our knowledge of this complex topic-refining analytical techniques, broadening the geographical coverage (to include, for example, the Southern Hemisphere), and more explicitly exploring the impacts of climate change on indoor aeroallergens.
Seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) is one of the most frequent chronic conditions of the modern world. Pollen carried by the wind from pollinated trees is a major source of SAR. Betulaceae, Oleaceae and Platanus are the most important sources of airway sensitization with regard to tree pollen and, therefore, they are included in the official recommendations of skin prick testing by different official societies. Salicaceae pollen is a moderate source of pollen sensitization. Conversely, large areas are covered with poplars and willows around the world. A number of studies from many countries showed that in some particular situations (large and compacted areas covered by Salicaceae, weather conditions, air pollution, urban ornamental vegetation), poplar and willow pollens may become of local importance in producing SAR. The aim of this review was to present a synthesis of information regarding Salicaceae pollen allergy showing that, if various unfavorable aspects are brought together, a minor problem (Salicaceae sensitization) can became a public health problem.
Thunderstorm-triggered asthma (TA) can be defined as the occurrence of acute asthma attacks immediately following a thunderstorm during pollen seasons. Outbreaks have occurred across the world during pollen season with the capacity to rapidly inundate a health care service, resulting in potentially catastrophic outcomes for allergic patients. TA occurs when specific meteorological and aerobiological factors combine to affect predisposed atopic patients with IgE-mediated sentitization to pollen allergens. Thunderstorm outflows can concentrate aeroallergens, most commonly grass pollen but also other pollens such as Parietaria and moulds in TA, at ground level to release respirable allergenic particles after rupture by osmotic shock related to humidity and rainfall. Inhalation of high concentrations of these aeroallergens by sensitized individuals can induce early asthmatic responses which can be followed by a late inflammatory phase. There is evidence that, during pollen season, thunderstorms can induce allergic asthma outbreaks, sometimes also severe asthma crisis and sometimes deaths in patients suffering from pollen allergy. It has been observed that changes in the weather such as rain or humidity may induce hydratation of pollen grains during pollen seasons and sometimes also their fragmentation which generates atmospheric biological aerosols carrying allergens. Asthma attacks are induced for the high concentration at ground level of pollen grains which may release allergenic particles of respirable size after rupture by osmotic shock. In other words, it is a global health problem observed in several cities and areas of the world that can strike without sufficient warning, inducing sometimes severe clinical consequences also with deaths of asthma patients. Due to constant climate change, future TA events are likely to become more common, more disastrous and more unpredictable, as a consequence it is important to have deep knowledge on this topic to prevent asthma attacks. Other environmental factors, such as rapid changes in temperature and agricultural practices, also contribute to causing TA.
BACKGROUND: Itch is a cardinal feature of paediatric disorders and can impair quality of life. However, few studies have addressed symptoms and impacts of itch in paediatric patients. OBJECTIVES: We focused on understanding the child’s experience of itch and the impact of itch specifically on affected children, including comparison with the adult experience. METHODS: Semistructured interviews (nine parents, 15 children with itch) explored concerns related to paediatric itch experiences and effects. Themes were compared with those of previous adult interviews. Literature was reviewed to identify the need for a more comprehensive measure of paediatric itch. RESULTS: Itch quality, intensity, duration and environmental triggers (sweating, climate change, stress and certain fabrics) are important aspects of the child’s itch experience. Skin disruption, physical function, concentration, emotional reactions, stigma and relationships/social effects are itch impact themes that emerged. No paediatric-specific scale comprehensively captures the paediatric patient itch experience. However, differences between child and adult reports of itch-related pain, functional limitations, fatigue and restlessness, emotional reactions to itch, and treatment effects emphasize the need for a paediatric-specific measurement tool. CONCLUSIONS: Children and parents endorse the importance of capturing the paediatric-focused characteristics and impacts of itch in measuring disease severity and response to intervention.
Flowering and pollen seasons are sensitive to environmental variability and are considered climate change indicators. However, it has not been concluded to what extent flowering phenology is indeed reflected in airborne pollen season locally. The aim of this study was to investigate, for the commonly represented in temperate climates and with highly allergenic pollen Betula pendula Roth, the responsiveness of flowering to different environmental regimes and also to check for commensurate changes in the respective pollen seasons. The region of Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany, was initially screened for birch trees, which were geolocated at a radius of 25 km. Random trees across the city were then investigated during three full flowering years, 2015-2017. Flowering observations were made 3-7 times a week, from flower differentiation to flower desiccation, in a total of 43 plant individuals. Data were regressed against meteorological parameters and air pollutant levels in an attempt to identify the driving factors of flowering onset and offset. Flowering dates were compared with dates of the related airborne pollen seasons per taxon; airborne pollen monitoring took place daily using a Hirst-type volumetric sampler. The salient finding was that flowering occurred earlier during warmer years; it also started earlier at locations with higher urbanity, and peaked and ended earlier at sites with higher NO(2) concentrations. Airborne pollen season of Betula spp. frequently did not coincide locally with the flowering period of Betula pendula: while flowering and pollen season were synchronized particularly in their onset, local flowering phenology alone could explain only 57.3% of the pollen season variability. This raises questions about the relationship between flowering times and airborne pollen seasons and on the rather underestimated role of the long-distance transport of pollen.
Ragweed pollen is an important component of biological pollution in the urban environment, responsible for increasing respiratory allergies and significant contribution to the health impact of air pollution in the Bucharest area. The aim of this paper is to present the eight-year ragweed pollen monitoring data from Bucharest, to place them in the context of local air pollution, public health regulations and available data on the health impact of ragweed pollen in the urban environment. Our pollen data were correlated with major air pollutant concentrations and with meteorological factors in a recently published local paper and the clinical data of patients with ragweed-induced respiratory symptoms were collected and published in 2019. The ragweed pollen monitoring data, correlated with field data reported by patients and plant specialists confirm the rapid spread of Ambrosia in the Bucharest city area, in addition to some stringent environmental local problems due to air pollution. The number of patients addressed to allergists almost doubled from one year to another, confirming the real alarming health impact of this environmental hazard. Our study confirms the need for more coherent strategies to control ragweed spread, based on application of existing local and international regulations, air pollution control and evaluation of consequences on human health.
Introduction Respiratory allergies represent an important public health problem, with increasing prevalence and severity in Europe during the last decades. The rise of pollen allergies is an issue that continues to negatively impact people’s daily lives across the globe and has become more important in the light of global warming and increasing air pollution. The aim of our paper is to evaluate the prevalence of declared atopy and the influence of lifestyle on allergic diseases, particularly on pollen allergies, in the urban environment from Romania. Methods The study is based on the cooperation Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP) called “Pollen Allergies in Romania: Optimizing Data Analysis in Raising Awareness”, agreed and carried on between a group of North-American students and teachers from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and a hospital-based allergy team from Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy and Colentina Clinical Hospital from Bucharest. The project aimed to evaluate the prevalence of atopy and lifestyle practices of allergic patients and to develop a data analysis tool to determine correlations between pollen counts and other environmental factors in the city of Bucharest. Results The lifestyle survey revealed that about one-third of allergic patients declared history of atopy. Some of the declared lifestyle practices can be considered environmental risk factors for allergies. This IQP can be considered a model of international, interdisciplinary and intercultural collaboration. Conclusion We concluded that Romania is facing an increasing pollen allergies trend and some actual lifestyle aspects can significantly influence the risk of pollen allergies in the big city environment.
The presence of very high pollen levels in the atmosphere is associated with a strong impact on health and a worsening of symptoms in people who already have a respiratory disease. However, there is no specification on the aerobiological, environmental and meteorological factors that allow for characterizing a pollen event as of great magnitude due to the significant impact it can cause on the population and the environment. This work proposes criteria to typify the levels of atmospheric pollen as an extreme pollen event (EPE), and aims to determine the meteorological variables that can affect the presence and permanence of high pollen concentrations over a period of time. To address this goal, the quasi-climatological pollen dataset recorded in Granada (Southeastern Spain) during the period 1992-2019, has been used. On the daily accumulated pollen concentrations, the 95th, 97th and 99th percentiles were calculated. Spearman’s correlation between the pollen con-centration exceeding the proposed thresholds (C (> P95), C (> P97), C (> P99)) and surface meteorological variables recorded during up to five days before the event were established in order to identify the meteorological conditions that might affect the EPEs. As for the number of days with values higher than the established percentiles, it has been seen that in the case of total pollen and Olea, Cupressaceae and Pinus, there is a robust monotonically ascending trend throughout the study period. Regarding meteorological variables, relative humidity and 24-h accumulated precipitation are shown as the two most influential variables up to three days before the event, although temperatures, visibility and wind direction also show a correlation with some pollen types. The criteria proposed in this work allow us for classifying high levels of pollen as an EPE, and lay the foundations of these extreme events in a context of climate change in which they will become more frequent.
Pollen grains emitted by urban vegetation are the main primary biological airborne particles (PBAPs) which alter the biological quality of urban air and have a significant impact on human health. This work analyses the interactions which exist between pollen-type PBAPs, meteorological variables, and air pollutants in the urban atmosphere so that the complex relationships and trends in future scenarios of changing environmental conditions can be assessed. For this study, the 1992-2018 pollen data series from the city of Granada (southeast Spain) was used, in which the dynamics of the total pollen as well as the 8 main pollen types (Cupressaceae, Olea, Pinus, Platanus, Poaceae, Populus, Quercus and Urticaceae) were analysed. The trend analysis showed that all except Urticaceae trended upward throughout the series. Spearman’s correlations with meteorological variables showed that, in general, the most influential variables on the pollen concentrations were the daily maximum temperature, relative humidity, water vapor pressure, global radiation, and insolation, with different effects on different pollen types. Parallel analysis by neural networks (ANN) confirmed these variables as the predominant ones, especially global radiation. The correlation with atmospheric pollutants revealed that ozone was the pollutant with the highest influence, although some pollen types also showed correlation with NO(2), SO(2), CO and PM(10). The Generalized Linear Models (GLM) between pollen and pollutants also indicated O(3) as the most prominent variable. These results highlight the active role that pollen-type PBAPs have on urban air quality by establishing their interactions with meteorological variables and pollutants, thereby providing information on the behaviour of pollen emissions under changing environmental conditions.
The London plane tree is frequently used in gardens, parks, and avenues in European urban areas for ornamental purposes with the aim to provide shade, and given its tolerance to atmospheric pollution. Nevertheless, unfortunately, over recent decades, bioaerosols such as Platanus pollen grains cause increasing human health problems such as allergies or respiratory tract infections. An aerobiological sampling of airborne Platanus pollen and Pla a 1 allergen was performed using two volumetric traps placed on the roof of the Science Faculty building of the city of Ourense from 2009 to 2020. A volumetric sampler Hirst-type Lanzoni VPPS 2000 (Lanzoni s.r.l. Bologna, Italy) was used for pollen sampling. Pla a 1 aeroallergen was sampled by using a Burkard Multi-Vial Cyclone Sampler (Burkard Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Hertfordshire, UK) and by means of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Data mining algorithms, C5.0 decision trees, and rule-based models were assessed to evaluate the effects of the main meteorological factors in the pollen or allergen concentrations. Plane trees bloom in late winter and spring months in the Northwestern Spain area. Regarding the trends of the parameters that define the Platanus pollen season, the allergen values fitted the concentrations of pollen in the air in most cases. In addition, it was observed that a decrease in maximum temperatures causes a descent in both pollen and allergen concentrations. However, the presence of precipitations only increases the level of allergens. When the risk of allergy symptomatology was jointly assessed for both the concentration of pollen and allergens in the study area, the number of days with moderate and high risk for pollen allergy in sensitive people increased with respect to traditional alerts considering only the pollen values.
Airborne particulate matter such as mineral dust comes mainly from natural sources, and the African regions of Sahara and Sahel originate large amounts of the aerosols dispersed worldwide. There is little knowledge about the influence of dust episodes on airborne pollen concentrations, and although the centre and southeast of the Iberian Peninsula are frequently affected by dust intrusions, until now, no specific works have analysed the effect of these episodes on airborne pollen concentrations in these areas. The aims of this study were to analyse the simultaneous occurrence of airborne pollen peaks and Saharan-Sahel dust intrusions in the central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula, and to study the weather conditions – air mass pathways and conditions of air temperature, relative humidity and atmospheric pressure – that influence the airborne pollen concentrations during dust episodes. The results showed that the rise in airborne pollen concentrations during dust episodes is apparent in inland Iberian areas, although not in coastal areas in the southeast where pollen concentrations are even observed to decrease, coinciding with prevailing easterly winds from the sea. Total pollen concentrations and specific pollen types such as Olea, Poaceae and Quercus showed an increase in the central Iberian Peninsula during dust episodes when two meteorological phenomena concur: 1) prevailing winds from extensive areas of major wind-pollinated pollen sources over a medium or short distance (mainly from western and southwestern areas); and 2) optimal meteorological conditions that favour pollen release and dispersal into the atmosphere (mainly high temperatures and subsequently low humidity in central areas). Both conditions often occur during the Saharan-Sahel dust intrusions in the centre. Maximum pollen peaks are therefore most likely to occur during dust episodes in the central Iberian Peninsula, thus dramatically increasing the risk of outbreaks of pollinosis and other respiratory diseases in the population.
Due to climate change, air temperature in the Netherlands has gradually increased. Higher temperatures lead to longer pollen seasons. Possible relations between air temperature and increased impact of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) in general practice have not been investigated yet. We explored trends in timing of frequent seasonal allergic rhinitis presentation to general practitioners (GPs) over 25 years and explored associations with air temperature. We performed a retrospective exploratory longitudinal study with data from our Family Medicine Network (1995-2019), including all SAR patients and their GP-encounters per week. We determined patients’ GP-consultation frequency. Every year we identified seasonal periods with substantial increase in SAR related encounters: peak-periods. We determined start date and duration of the peak-period and assessed associations with air temperature in the beginning and throughout the year, respectively. The peak-period duration increased by a mean of 1.3 days (95% CI 0.23-2.45, P = 0.02) per year throughout the study period. Air temperature between February and July showed a statistically significant association with peak-period duration. We could not observe direct effects of warmer years on the start of peak-periods within distinct years (P = 0.06). SAR patients’ contact frequency slightly increased by 0.01 contacts per year (95% CI 0.002-0.017, P = 0.015). These longitudinal findings may help to facilitate further research on the impact of climate change, and raise awareness of the tangible impact of climate change in general practice.
Fungal spores make up a significant proportion of organic matter within the air. Allergic sensitisation to fungi is associated with conditions including allergic fungal airway disease. This systematic review analyses outdoor fungal spore seasonality across Europe and considers the implications for health. Seventy-four studies met the inclusion criteria, the majority of which (n = 64) were observational sampling studies published between 1978 and 2020. The most commonly reported genera were the known allergens Alternaria and Cladosporium, measured in 52 and 49 studies, respectively. Both displayed statistically significant increased season length in south-westerly (Mediterranean) versus north-easterly (Atlantic and Continental) regions. Although there was a trend for reduced peak or annual Alternaria and Cladosporium spore concentrations in more northernly locations, this was not statistically significant. Peak spore concentrations of Alternaria and Cladosporium exceeded clinical thresholds in nearly all locations, with median peak concentrations of 665 and 18,827 per m(3), respectively. Meteorological variables, predominantly temperature, precipitation and relative humidity, were the main factors associated with fungal seasonality. Land-use was identified as another important factor, particularly proximity to agricultural and coastal areas. While correlations of increased season length or decreased annual spore concentrations with increasing average temperatures were reported in multi-decade sampling studies, the number of such studies was too small to make any definitive conclusions. Further, up-to-date studies covering underrepresented geographical regions and fungal taxa (including the use of modern molecular techniques), and the impact of land-use and climate change will help address remaining knowledge gaps. Such knowledge will help to better understand fungal allergy, develop improved fungal spore calendars and forecasts with greater geographical coverage, and promote increased awareness and management strategies for those with allergic fungal disease.
Climate change (CC) is expected to negatively impact respiratory health due to air pollution and increased aeroallergen exposure. Children are among the most vulnerable populations due to high ventilation rates, small peripheral airways, and developing respiratory and immunological systems. To assess the current knowledge among Italian pediatric pulmonologists on the potential effects of CC on pediatric respiratory allergic diseases, a national survey was launched online from February 2020 to February 2021. The members of the Italian Pediatric Respiratory Society (SIMRI) were contacted by email and 117 questionnaires were returned (response rate 16.4%). 72.6% of respondents were females, 53.8% were academic pediatricians, 42.7% had been working >10 years. Most of the participants were aware of the potential health effects of CC and stated that they had noticed an increase in the incidence (90.6%) and severity (67.5%) of allergic respiratory diseases among their patients. About 61% and 41% of participants respectively felt that there had been an increase in the number of children sensitized to pollen and molds. When applying latent class analysis to identify the features characterizing participants with greater awareness and knowledge of CC-related health effects, two classes were identified: almost 60% of the participants were labeled as “poor knowledge” and those with greater awareness were older, had longer work experience, and were those using the Internet to gather information about CC. There is urgent need to increase pediatricians’ awareness of the detrimental effects of CC on children’s respiratory health and integrate them in the educational programs of healthcare professionals.
Allergic rhinitis is an inflammation in the nose caused by overreaction of the immune system to allergens in the air. Managing allergic rhinitis symptoms is challenging and requires timely intervention. The following are major questions often posed by those with allergic rhinitis: How should I prepare for the forthcoming season? How will the season’s severity develop over the years? No country yet provides clear guidance addressing these questions. We propose two previously unexplored approaches for forecasting the severity of the grass pollen season on the basis of statistical and mechanistic models. The results suggest annual severity is largely governed by preseasonal meteorological conditions. The mechanistic model suggests climate change will increase the season severity by up to 60%, in line with experimental chamber studies. These models can be used as forecasting tools for advising individuals with hay fever and health care professionals how to prepare for the grass pollen season.
Background: While airborne pollen is widely recognized as a seasonal cause of sneezing and itchy eyes, its effects on pulmonary function, cardiovascular health, sleep quality, and cognitive performance are less well-established. It is likely that the public health impact of pollen may increase in the future due to a higher population prevalence of pollen sensitization as well as earlier, longer, and more intense pollen seasons, trends attributed to climate change. The effects of pollen on health outcomes have previously been studied through cross-sectional design or at two time points, namely preceding and within the period of pollen exposure. We are not aware of any observational study in adults that has analyzed the dose-response relationship between daily ambient pollen concentration and cardiovascular, pulmonary, cognitive, sleep, or quality of life outcomes. Many studies have relied on self-reported pollen allergy status rather than objectively confirming pollen sensitization. In addition, many studies lacked statistical power due to small sample sizes or were highly restrictive with their inclusion criteria, making the findings less transferable to the “real world.” Methods: The EPOCHAL study is an observational panel study which aims to relate ambient pollen concentration to six specific health domains: (1) pulmonary function and inflammation; (2) cardiovascular outcomes (blood pressure and heart rate variability); (3) cognitive performance; (4) sleep; (5) health-related quality of life (HRQoL); and (6) allergic rhinitis symptom severity. Our goal is to enroll 400 individuals with diverse allergen sensitization profiles. The six health domains will be assessed while ambient exposure to pollen of different plants naturally varies. Health data will be collected through six home nurse visits (at approximately weekly intervals) as well as 10 days of independent tracking of blood pressure, sleep, cognitive performance, HRQoL, and symptom severity by participants. Through repeated health assessments, we aim to uncover and characterize dose-response relationships between exposure to different species of pollen and numerous acute health effects, considering (non-)linearity, thresholds, plateaus and slopes. Conclusion: A gain of knowledge in pollen-health outcome relationships is critical to inform future public health policies and will ultimately lead toward better symptom forecasts and improved personalized prevention and treatment.
A multitude of consequences from global warming and environmental pollution can already be seen for nature and humans. The continuous burning of fossil fuels leads to rising temperatures and rising water levels causing extreme weather phenomena like heat waves and flooding. Increasing levels of air pollution also cause adverse health effects. This is especially important for pollen allergy sufferers because air pollution plays a central role in the interactions between pollen and humans. Today, pollen allergy sufferers are confronted with longer pollen seasons and pollen with potentially increased allergenicity. The effects for pollen allergy sufferers are an increased duration and severity of symptoms. New research results from the Medical University of Vienna prove that out of the most important air pollution parameters (particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and ozone) especially ozone causes increased symptom severity in pollen allergy sufferers during the birch, grass, and ragweed pollen seasons.
BACKGROUND: Evidence of the role of interactions between air pollution and pollen exposure in subjects with allergic asthma is limited and need further exploration to promote adequate preventive measures. The objective of this study was to assess effects of exposure to ambient air pollution and birch pollen on exacerbation of respiratory symptoms in subjects with asthma and allergy to birch. METHODS: Thirty-seven subjects from two Swedish cities (Gothenburg and Umeå) with large variation in exposure to both birch-pollen and air pollutants, participated in the study. All subjects had confirmed allergy to birch and self-reported physician-diagnosed asthma. The subjects recorded respiratory symptoms such as rhinitis or eye irritation, dry cough, dyspnoea, the use of any asthma or allergy medication and peak respiratory flow (PEF), daily for five consecutive weeks during two separate pollen seasons and a control season without pollen. Nitrogen oxides (NO(x)), ozone (O(3)), particulate matter (PM(2.5)), birch pollen counts, and meteorological data were obtained from an urban background monitoring stations in the study city centres. The data were analysed using linear mixed effects models. RESULTS: During pollen seasons all symptoms and medication use were higher, and PEF was reduced in the subjects. In regression analysis, exposure to pollen at lags 0 to 2 days, and lags 0 to 6 days was associated with increased ORs of symptoms and decreased RRs for PEF. Pollen and air pollution interacted in some cases; during low pollen exposure, there were no associations between air pollution and symptoms, but during high pollen exposure, O(3) concentrations were associated with increased OR of rhinitis or eye irritation, and PM(2.5) concentrations were associated with increased ORs of rhinitis or eye irritation, dyspnea and increased use of allergy medication. CONCLUSIONS: Pollen and air pollutants interacted to increase the effect of air pollution on respiratory symptoms in allergic asthma. Implementing the results from this study, advisories for individuals with allergic asthma could be improved, minimizing the morbidities associated with the condition.
BACKGROUND: Common ragweed has been spreading as a neophyte in Europe. Elevated CO(2) levels, a hallmark of global climate change, have been shown to increase ragweed pollen production, but their effects on pollen allergenicity remain to be elucidated. METHODS: Ragweed was grown in climate-controlled chambers under normal (380 ppm, control) or elevated (700 ppm, based on RCP4.5 scenario) CO(2) levels. Aqueous pollen extracts (RWE) from control- or CO(2) -pollen were administered in vivo in a mouse model for allergic disease (daily for 3-11 days, n = 5) and employed in human in vitro systems of nasal epithelial cells (HNECs), monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs), and HNEC-DC co-cultures. Additionally, adjuvant factors and metabolites in control- and CO(2) -RWE were investigated using ELISA and untargeted metabolomics. RESULTS: In vivo, CO(2) -RWE induced stronger allergic lung inflammation compared to control-RWE, as indicated by lung inflammatory cell infiltrate and mediators, mucus hypersecretion, and serum total IgE. In vitro, HNECs stimulated with RWE increased indistinctively the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-8, IL-1β, and IL-6). In contrast, supernatants from CO(2) -RWE-stimulated HNECs, compared to control-RWE-stimulated HNECS, significantly increased TNF and decreased IL-10 production in DCs. Comparable results were obtained by stimulating DCs directly with RWEs. The metabolome analysis revealed differential expression of secondary plant metabolites in control- vs CO(2) -RWE. Mixes of these metabolites elicited similar responses in DCs as compared to respective RWEs. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that elevated ambient CO(2) levels elicit a stronger RWE-induced allergic response in vivo and in vitro and that RWE increased allergenicity depends on the interplay of multiple metabolites.
Longitudinal shifts in pollen onset, duration, and intensity are public health concerns for the growing number of individuals with pollen sensitization. National analyses of long-term pollen changes are influenced by how a plant’s main pollen season (MPS) is defined. Prior Swiss studies have inconsistently applied MPS definitions, leading to heterogeneous conclusions regarding the magnitude, directionality, and significance of multi-decade pollen trends. We examined national pollen data in Switzerland between 1990 and 2020, applying six MPS definitions (2 percentage-based and 4 threshold-based) to twelve relevant allergenic plants. We analyzed changes in pollen season using both linear regression and locally estimated scatterplot smoothing (LOESS). For 4 of the 12 plant species, there is unanimity between definitions regarding earlier onset of pollen season (p < 0.05), with magnitude of 31-year change dependent on specific MPS definition (hazel: 9-18 days; oak: 5-13 days; grasses: 8-25 days; and nettle/hemp: 6-25 days). There is also consensus (p < 0.05) for modified MPS duration among hazel (21-104% longer), nettle/hemp (8-52% longer), and ash (18-38% shorter). Between-definition agreement is highest for MPS intensity analysis, with consensus for significant increases in seasonal pollen quantity (p < 0.05) among hazel, birch, oak, beech, and nettle/hemp. The largest relative intensification is noted for hazel (110-146%) and beech (162-237%). LOESS analysis indicates that these multi-decade pollen changes are typically nonlinear. The robustness of MPS definitions is highly dependent on annual pollen accumulation, with definition choice particularly influential for long-term analysis of low-pollen plants such as ragweed. We identify systematic differences between MPS definitions and suggest future aerobiologic studies apply multiple definitions to minimize bias. In summary, national pollen onset, duration, and intensity have shifted for some plants in Switzerland, with MPS definition choice affecting magnitude and significance of these variations. Future public health research can determine whether these temporal and quantitative pollen changes correlate with longitudinal differences in population pollen sensitization.
Australia is home to one of the highest rates of allergic rhinitis worldwide. Commonly known as ‘hay fever’, this chronic condition affects up to 30% of the population and is characterised by sensitisation to pollen and fungal spores. Exposure to these aeroallergens has been strongly associated with causing allergic reactions and worsening asthma symptoms. Over the last few decades, incidences of respiratory admissions have risen due to the increased atmospheric concentration of airborne allergens. The fragmentation and dispersion of these allergens is aided by environmental factors like rainfall, temperature and interactions with atmospheric aerosols. Extreme weather parameters, which continue to become more frequent due to the impacts of climate change, have greatly fluctuated allergen concentrations and led to epidemic thunderstorm asthma (ETSA) events that have left hundreds, if not thousands, struggling to breathe. While a link exists between airborne allergens, weather and respiratory admissions, the underlying factors that influence these epidemics remain unknown. It is important we understand the potential threat these events pose on our susceptible populations and ensure our health infrastructure is prepared for the next epidemic.
Airborne pollens cause pollinosis and have the potential to affect microphysics in clouds; however, the number of monitored species has been very limited due to technical difficulties for the morphotype identification. In this study, we applied an eDNA approach to the airborne pollen communities in the suburbs of the Tokyo metropolitan area in Japan, within a mixed urban, rural, and mountain landscape, revealing pollen seasonality of various taxa (a total of 78 families across the period) in the spring season (February to May). Those taxa distinctly shifted in the season, especially in the beginning of February and the middle of April. Air temperature shift was an obvious key factor to affect the airborne pollen community, while the influence of other meteorological factors, such as wind speed, humidity, and precipitation, was not clear. Taxonomic classification of major Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) indicates multiple pollen sources, including natural forest, planted forest, roadside, park lands, and horticultural activities. Most major ASV belongs to Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica), which is the most notable allergen that causes pollinosis in Japan, peaking in mid-February to March. Backward trajectory analysis of air masses suggests that the Japanese cedar and other Cupressaceae plantation forests in the western mountains were a significant source of airborne pollen communities detected at our sampling site. Other major plant pollen sources, including Japanese zelkova (Zelkova serrata) and ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), emanated from the nearby parks or roadside regions. This study’s approach enables us to visualize the phenology of multiple pollen, including timing and duration. Long-term monitoring of this type would provide additional insight into understanding the role of climate change on pollen transmission and links to flowering events.
In Japan, the representative allergenic airborne pollen-related allergic diseases include Cupressaceae in early spring, the birch family and grass in spring and mugwort in autumn. As a result of a long- term survey the past 27 to 33 years, an increasing in the amount of conifer airborne pollen and an earlier start dispersal were observed, related climate change. In addition, an increase in the number of patients with Japanese cedar pollinosis and the severity has been observed. Provision of medical pollen information, medication and sublingual immunotherapy have all been enhanced. Recently, pollen-food allergic syndrome has become of increased interest.
INTRODUCTION: Children with allergies are at greater risk of becoming sensitized to allergenic pollens in response to environmental changes. This study investigated the relationship between changes in pollination associated with meteorologic changes and the sensitization rates of children to tree pollen allergens in the metropolitan area of Seoul, Korea. METHODS: The study population consisted of 8,295 children who visited the pediatric allergy clinics at Hanyang University Seoul and Guri Hospital for allergy symptoms between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 2019. Pollen was collected at the two hospitals during the study using a Burkard 7-day sampler. Meteorologic data were obtained from the National Weather Service. RESULTS: Among the major tree pollens, the largest increase in allergic sensitization was to oak, hazel, and alder pollens (0.28% annually). The pollen-sensitization rates increased annually within younger age groups. The duration of the pollen season was 98 days in 1998 and 140 days in 2019. Positive correlations were determined between the duration of the pollen season and the rates of sensitization to tree pollens, as well as between the pollen-sensitization rates and increasing temperature. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the correlation between weather changes and the resulting changes in the pollen season with sensitization rates to allergenic pollens in children living in the Seoul metropolitan area. An annual increase in sensitization rates in younger children was determined. This pattern is expected to continue due to continuing climate change.
Airborne pollen causes various types of allergies in humans, and the extent of allergic infection is related to the presence of different types of sporo-pollen and existing meteorological conditions in a certain area. Therefore, an aeropalynological study of 72 airborne samples with a hydrofluoric acid (HF) treatment was conducted in the Haizhu district of Guangzhou, China, in 2016, to identify the temporal variations in airborne sporo-pollen and the relationship between airborne sporo-pollen concentrations and different meteorological variables in Guangzhou, China. Forty-five types of airborne pollen, seven types of airborne spores, and some undetermined sporo-pollen taxa were identified with two separate plant habitats occurring during this period (from January to December 2016): arboreal pollen (tree-based) and non-arboreal pollen (herb, shrub, aquatic, liane, etc.). Furthermore, the daily records of four key meteorological variables (temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, and wind speed) were acquired to distinguish the pollen seasons and correlated with Spearman’s rho test to establish a pollen-weather data book with the seasonal variations. The two leading seasons were identified based on pollen abundance: spring and autumn. Among them, the primary dominant sporo-pollen families during the spring season were Poaceae, Pinaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Moraceae, Microlepia sp., and Polypodiaceae. Conversely, Artemisia sp., Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae, Alnus sp., Corylus sp., Myrtaceae, and Rosaceae were the dominant pollen species during autumn. However, few pollen grains were identified in January, May-July, and December. The statistical analysis revealed that temperature had both positive and negative correlations with sporo-pollen concentrations. However, precipitation and relative humidity had a strong impact on the sporo-pollen dispersion and exhibited a negative correlation with the sporo-pollen concentrations. The wind speed had a positive but strong correlation with the sporo-pollen concentration during the study period. Some inconsistent results were found due to environmental variations, vegetation type, and climate change around the study area. This study will facilitate the identification of pollen seasons to prevent the occurrence of pollen-related allergies in the Guangzhou city area.
INTRODUCTION: Aeropollen can induce detrimental effects, particularly in respiratory airways. Monitoring local aeropollen is essential for the management of pollen allergic patients in each area. However, without resources for constant monitoring, pollen counts are subjected to biases imposed by the choices of sampling season, time of collection, and location. Therefore, the effects of these factors must be better understood. This study investigated the dynamics of aeropollen types through seasonal variation, diurnal cycle and different heights from the ground in Bangkok, Thailand. METHODS: Aeropollen samples were collected for 12 months at the Faculty of Science, Mahidol University in Bangkok, using a RotoRod Sampler(®). For the investigation of diurnal effect, pollen was collected at 7 a.m., 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m., and 7 p.m. For the study of height effect, data were collected at 2, 10, and 18 meters above ground. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: This is the first study of the effects of diurnal cycle and height variation on airborne pollen count in Southeast Asia. The results showed the highest concentration of aeropollen was observed in November, which was at the beginning of the northeast monsoon season in Bangkok, whereas the lowest concentration was recorded in July (rainy season). Interestingly, the lowest airborne pollen concentration recorded in July was greater than the high level of most standards. Grass pollen was found as the major aeropollen. The highest total pollen concentration was detected at 1 p.m. The maximum pollen quantity was detected at 10 meters from the ground. However, the total aeropollen concentration was extremely high (>130 grains/m(3)) at all elevated heights compared to other studies that mostly found at lower height (approximately 1-2 m above ground). The result suggested that pollen concentrations of most pollen types increased as height increased. This study also illustrated the correlation between aeropollen quantity and local meteorological factors. CONCLUSION: This aeropollen survey reported that pollen concentration and diversity were affected by seasonal variation, diurnal cycle, and height from the ground. Understanding these relationships can help with predictions of aeropollen type and quantity.
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The aim of this study was to compare airborne levels of Phl p 1 and Phl p 5, with Poaceae pollen concentrations inside and outside of the pollen season, and to evaluate their association with symptoms in grass allergic patients and the influence of climate and pollution. The Hirst and the Burkard Cyclone samplers were used for pollen and allergen quantification, respectively. The sampling period ran from 23 March 2009 to 27 July 2010. Twenty-three patients with seasonal allergic asthma and rhinitis used an electronic symptom card. The aerosol was extracted and quantified for Phl p 1 and Phl p 5 content. Descriptive statistics, non-parametric paired contrast of Wilcoxon, Spearman’s correlations, and a categorical principal component analysis (CatPCA) were carried out. Significant variations in pollen, aeroallergen levels, pollen allergen potency, and symptoms score were observed in this study. Phl p 5 pollen allergen potency was higher at the beginning of the 2010 grass pollen season. Presence of Phl p 1 outside the pollen season with positive O(3) correlation was clinically relevant. 45.5% of the variance was explained by two dimensions in the CatPCA analysis, showing the symptom relationships dissociated in two dimensions. In the first one, the more important relationship was with grass pollen grains concentration and Phl p 5 and to a lesser extent with Phl p 1 and levels of NO(2) and O(3), and in the second dimension, symptoms were associated with humidity and SO(2). Clinically relevant out-season Phl p 1 was found with a positive O(3) correlation. The effect of climate and pollution may have contributed to the higher seasonal allergic rhinitis symptom score recorded in 2009.
Airborne allergenic pollen impact the health of a great part of the global population. Under climate change conditions, the abundance of airborne pollen has been rising dramatically and so is the effect on sensitized individuals. The first line of allergy management is allergen avoidance, which, to date, is by rule achieved via forecasting of daily pollen concentrations. The aim of this study was to elaborate on 3-hourly predictive models, one of the very few to the best of our knowledge, attempting to forecast pollen concentration based on near-real-time automatic pollen measurements. The study was conducted in Augsburg, Germany, during four years (2016-2019) focusing on Betula and Poaceae pollen, the most abundant and allergenic in temperate climates. ARIMA and dynamic regression models were employed, as well as machine learning techniques, viz. artificial neural networks and neural network autoregression models. Air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, air pressure, sunshine duration, diffuse radiation, and wind speed were additionally considered for the development of the models. It was found that air temperature and precipitation were the most significant variables for the prediction of airborne pollen concentrations. At such fine temporal resolution, our forecasting models performed well showing their ability to explain most of the variability of pollen concentrations for both taxa. However, predictive power of Betula forecasting model was higher achieving R-2 up to 0.62, whereas Poaceae up to 0.55. Neural autoregression was superior in forecasting Betula pollen concentrations, whereas, for Poaceae, seasonal ARIMA performed best. The good performance of seasonal ARIMA in describing variability of pollen concentrations of both examined taxa suggests an important role of plants’ phenology in observed pollen abundance. The present study provides novel insight on per-hour forecasts to be used in real-time mobile apps by pollen allergic patients. Despite the huge need for real-time, short-term predictions for everyday clinical practice, extreme weather events, like in the year 2019 in our case, still comprise an obstacle toward highly performing forecasts at such fine timescales, highlighting that there is still a way to go to this direction.
Climate change affects the reproductive life cycles of plants, including pollen production, which has consequences for allergic respiratory diseases. We examined climatic trends at eight locations in Bavaria, Southern Germany, with pollen time series of at least 10 years (up to 30 years in Munich). Climate change in Bavaria was characterized by a rise in temperature, but not during the winter. There is also a trend towards a more continental climate in Bavaria, which is significant in the Alps in the south of the territory. The influence of climate change depended on pollen type. Wind-pollinated arboreal species (e.g. Alnus, Betula and Cupressaceae/Taxaceae) showed advances in the start and end dates of pollen seasons and an increase in pollen load. These changes correlated negatively with late-winter (February) and spring temperatures (April). For herbaceous species, like Poaceae and Urticaceae, an earlier season was observed. Although precipitation is not a limiting factor in Southern Germany, water availability in the spring did influence the magnitude of grass pollen seasons. The effect of climatic change on the characteristics of pollen seasons was also more pronounced at higher altitudes, significant at > 800 m above sea level. Our results show that trends for start, end dates and intensity were similar at all locations, but only statistically significant at some. If we assume that earlier and more intense pollen seasons result in increases in prevalence and severity of allergic diseases, then the effect of climate change on public health in Bavaria may be significant.
Studies focused on the seasonal distribution of pollen and spores in semiarid cities are scarce. At these sites, climate change potentiates the emission and transport of fine (PM(10)) to ultrafine particles (PM(2.5)), easily attached to pollen surfaces, causing allergen’s release. This study examines the potential correlation of seasonal variations of pollen, fungal spores, PM(10), and meteorological parameters with allergic reactions of 150 people living in a Sonoran desert city. We collected PM(10), airborne pollen, and spores during a year. We also studied topsoil and road dust samples as potential PM-emission sources. We obtained dust-mineralogy, chemistry, and particle size attached to pollen by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope. Results show that seasonal high PM-loading in the urban atmosphere coincides with aeroallergens promoting micro- to nanoparticles’ attachment to pollen’s surface. A collapsed membrane was observed in several samples after individual grains show the following maximum wall coverage: Poaceae 28%, Asteraceae 40%, Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthacea 29%, Fabaceae 18%. Most of the particles covering pollen’s surface have a geogenic origin mixed with metals linked to traffic (bromide, chlorine, and antimony). Mineralogical, granulometric analysis, and main wind-direction show that two local soil-types are the main contributors to PM. A high frequency of positive sensitization to pollen with high particle loading was detected. These results suggest that climate-driven dust emissions may alter pollen and spore surfaces’ physicochemical characteristics with the further consequences in their allergenic potential.
BACKGROUND: The individual effects of biological constituents of particulate matter (PM) such as fungal spores, on lung function in children are not well known. This study investigated the seasonal short-term effect of daily variation in Alternaria and Cladosporium fungal spores on lung function in schoolchildren. METHODS: This panel study evaluated 313 schoolchildren in informal settlements of the Western Cape of South Africa, exposed to spores of two commonly encountered fungi, Alternaria and Cladosporium species. The children provided forced-expiratory volume in 1-s (FEV(1)) and peak-expiratory flow (PEF) measurements thrice daily for two consecutive school-weeks in summer and winter. Daily PM(10) levels, from a stationary ambient air quality monitor and fungal spore levels using spore traps were measured in each study area throughout the year. The effects of Alternaria and Cladosporium spores, on lung function were analysed for lag periods up to five-days, adjusting-for PM(10), other pollen exposures, study area, and other host and meteorological factors. Same-day exposure-response curves were computed for both fungal species. RESULTS: There was more variability in Alternaria spores level with noticeable peaks in summer. There were consistent lag-effects for Alternaria on PEF compared to Cladosporium, with the largest PEF deficit observed in winter (mean deficit: 13.78 L/min, 95%CI: 24.34 to -3.23 L/min) per 10spores/m(3) increase in Alternaria spores on lag day-2. Although there were no observable lag-effects for Alternaria and Cladosporium on FEV(1), same-day effects of Cladosporium spores on FEV(1) was present across both seasons. Threshold effects of Alternaria on both PEF and FEV(1) deficits were apparent at levels of 100 spores/m(3), but could not be explored for Cladosporium beyond the levels observed during the study. CONCLUSION: The study provides evidence for the independent effects of daily exposure to ambient fungal spores of Alternaria and Cladosporium on lung function deficits, more especially in winter for PEF.
Pollen is an important component of bioaerosol and the distribution of pollen and its relationship with meteorological parameters can be analyzed to better prevent hay fever. Pollen assemblages can also provide basic data for analyzing the relationship between bioaerosol and PM. We collected 82 samples of airborne pollen using a TSP large flow pollen collector from June 1, 2015 to June 1, 2016, from central Zhanjiang city in South China. We also conducted a survey of the nearby vegetation at the same time, in order to characterize the major plant types and their flowering times. We then used data on daily temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, vapor pressure and wind speed from a meteorological station in the center of Zhanjiang City to assess the relationship between the distribution of airborne pollen and meteorological parameters. Our main findings and conclusions are as follows: (1) We identified 15 major pollen types, including Pinus, Castanopsis, Myrica, Euphorbiaceae, Compositae, Gramineae, Microlepia and Polypodiaceae. From the vegetation survey, we found that the pollen from these taxa represented more than 75% of local pollen, while the pollen of Podocarpus, Dacrydium and other regional pollen types represented less than 25%. (2) The pollen concentrations varied significantly in different seasons. The pollen concentrations were at a maximum in spring, consisting mainly of tree pollen; the pollen concentrations were at an intermediate level in autumn and winter, consisting mainly of herb pollen and fern spores; and the pollen concentrations in summer were the lowest, consisting mainly of fern spores. (3) Analysis of the relationship between airborne pollen concentrations and meteorological parameters showed that variations in the pollen concentrations were mainly affected by temperature and relative humidity. In addition, there were substantial differences in these relationships in different seasons. In spring, pollen concentrations were mainly affected by temperature; in summer, they were mainly affected by the direction of the maximum wind speed; in autumn, they were mainly affected by relative humidity and temperature; and in winter, they were mainly affected by relative humidity and wind speed. Temperature and relative humidity promote plant growth and flowering. Notably, the variable wind direction in summer and the increased wind speed in winter and spring are conductive to pollen transmission. (4) Of the 15 major pollen types, Moraceae, Artemisia and Gramineae are the main allergenic pollen types, with peaks in concentration during April-May, August-September, and October-December, respectively. (5) Atypical weather conditions have substantial effects on pollen dispersal. In South China, the pollen concentrations in the sunny day were usually significantly higher than that of the rainy day. The pollen concentrations increased in short rainy days, which usually came from the Herb and Fern pollen. The pollen concentrations decreased in continuous rainy days especially for the Tree and Shrub pollen. the pollen concentrations in the sunny days were usually significantly higher than that in the rainy days. The pollen concentrations increased in short and strong rainfall.
BACKGROUND: Since fungi spores have high concentrations in the atmosphere during most of the year, they have an important place in respiratory allergies. In this regard, the preparation of calendars showing fungi spore loads for residential areas has much importance in the treatment of the patients. The first aim of this study was to present the airborne fungal spore research results from Eastern Anatolia in Turkey. Then, the mold spores’ relationships with the meteorological parameters and skin prick test results were also evaluated. The presence of fungal spores was investigated using a volumetric spore trap in 2018 year. METHODS: In this study, fungal spores within the atmosphere of the Elaz?? city of Turkey was measured through the volumetric method, using a Lanzoni VPPS 2000 device (VPPS 2000 Lanzoni, Bologna, Italy), in 2018 year. Annual data of temperature, humidity, precipitation and wind speed were used for comparing meteorological data with airborne fungal spore counts. In addition, 637 children who were admitted to a pediatric allergy clinic with allergic complaints were enrolled in the study. RESULTS: A total of 145,099 spores/m(3) and 20 fungal taxa belonging to the molds were recorded. Ustilago was the predominant genus (18.10%), followed by Oidium (18.01%), Drechslera (12.82%), and Fusarium (11.60%), which were the most common fungal spores found in Elazig’s atmosphere. The total mold spores in the atmosphere reached the highest level, with 28,153 spores/m(3), in July (mid-summer). Moreover, we found a positive correlation between the mold spores and the temperature, but negative correlations with the humidity and wind speed. In the skin prick tests in the children with allergic complaints, we detected sensitization to Alternaria alternata in 4.4%, Cladosporium herbarum in 3.0%, Penicillium notatum in 1.4%, and Aspergillus fumigatus in 1.1%. Additionally, there was no correlation between fungal spore concentration in the atmosphere with fungal spores sensitization in the skin prick test. CONCLUSIONS: This study was the first aerofungal survey of the Eastern Anatolia region in Turkey; therefore, new information has been introduced in the field of aerobiology in Turkey.
