Pollen boom Very hard times for allergy sufferers

Researcher: More pollen and allergies

05/14/2012

On allergy sufferers come bad times: According to an international study, the pollen count will occur even more intense than is the case today. The period will also last longer, as researchers from the Technical University of Munich report. The number of those affected will continue to rise. The cause of the increased pollen count could be environmental pollution.

Every second Englishman shows allergic reactions
Scientists from all over Europe have examined the allergic potential of birch, grasses and olives in a joint study. The three plant species mentioned are the most common causes of pollen allergy and hay fever in Europe. Patients react „very different“ on pollen. In the course of „Hialine study“ the research team found that „the impact of pollen vary“. Depending on this are times and regions. Depending on this, different volumes of protein compounds are produced, „responsible for the allergic reactions of the immune system“. In their study report, the experts warn of a veritable allergy boom in Europe and Germany. To stop the spread, politics should act fast. According to the study results, the pollen load will increase massively in the next few years. In just a few years, around 50 percent of people in Europe could suffer from allergies.

Already today around 20 million Germans suffer from allergies. This means that statistically every third adult is allergic. „The trend is still rising“, said the head of the Munich Center for Allergy and Environment, Prof. Dr. med. Carsten B. Schmidt-Weber. It will not only increase the number of pollen allergies, but also the food allergies. In the 1950s, only two to five percent of the population in Germany was affected by allergies. In Britain, according to the researcher, every second inhabitant shows allergic immune responses.

Air pollution could be the cause
„The reasons why allergic diseases of the respiratory tract increased in the 20th century are still not fully understood“, it says in the study report of the specialist magazine „Plos One“. But it can be assumed that the air pollution „Allergens and reactions of allergic patients are amplified in a variety of ways“, so the researchers. However, the relationships are still not fully understood to explain the rising rates of increased air pollution.

Serious sequelae due to allergies
For those affected not only the symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes, rashes and respiratory distress are stressful. Particularly problematic are the sequelae of allergies such as asthma or bronchitis, explains the professor. „Something will come to us“, admonishes also Prof. dr. Jeroen Buters, expert on molecular allergology at the Technical University of Munich. In this context, he calls „better early warning system for pollen“. Politicians, too, had a duty to take on the topic more than before. Finally, the increase also represents an additional burden on the healthcare system.

Highly allergenic Ambrosia spreads
Very dangerous and high allergenic is the plant Ambrosia. It is spreading more and more and worries the scientists. "If we wait another five to eight years, Bavaria will be infected," warned Buters. Ambrosia allergy often leads to numerous cross-allergies, as the German Society for Allergology and Clinical Immunology (DGAKI) recently explained. Frequently „Patients in a row also develop against spices such as parsley, pepper or celery allergies.“ The Ambrosia is considered by the experts as the „most allergenic plant worldwide“ designated. The pollen flow of the Ambrosia begins depending on the weather in late July and during the month of August. Affected suffer as a result of massive complaints such as coughing, shortness of breath, asthma, swollen eyes and headaches. The symptoms can last until late autumn and winter.

Ambrosia is currently spreading westward
According to Schmidt-Weber, the Ambrosia spreads from the east to the west, especially along the highways. Scientists suspect that the seeds stick to the trucks and cars and then gradually fall off. Many health authorities in the countries have already reported an ambrosia infestation. For some years, especially the Berlin area has been excessively affected.

Not only are the pollen becoming more, says Annette Menzel, Professor of Ecoclimatology at the Technical University of Munich, but also the period of pollen flight continues to expand. This is due to the ongoing global warming. "Overall, the flowering period is extended, hazel already blooms in December," said Menzel. The fatal: If most other allergenic plants stop blooming, the ambrosia is added in many states on top of that.

The amount of pollen has increased significantly across Europe, according to the study. Climate change will intensify this trend, stressed Menzel. The reason for this could be the rising carbon dioxide concentration. In the laboratory, plants were exposed to an increased amount of carbon dioxide. As a result, they grew faster and produced more pollen.

Pollen is not the same as pollen
In the course of the research, however, it was observed that it is probably not the amount of pollen that is responsible for the allergy-causing symptoms, but the amount of allergenic substances. Because „Pollen is not the same as pollen“, as the scientists emphasize. Rather, it depends on how long the pollen ripens and how much time they have to themselves „full of allergens“, says Buters. This was the result of studies from Finland to Italy, from Spain to Lithuania during the three-year Hialine study, in which a total of 13 research institutions participated.

„With regard to individual days and measuring stations, however, there were sometimes striking differences“, says Buters. „The allergic potential varied by a factor of 10, that is, on the 'strong' days, up to 10 times more allergens were released than others.“ For the immune response but were ultimately the „different amounts of protein compounds responsible.“ Allergy sufferers can support the research work. Therefore, the scientist invites stakeholders to participate in an online diary, so that the experience gained can be compared with the findings.

Allergy sufferers can support researchers
The researchers now hope that allergen measurements could provide better predictions for allergy sufferers compared to pollen. „With combined evaluations of allergen measurements, pollen count and weather data, we could significantly improve previous allergy models.“ From this, more effective therapies could be developed. In hyposensitization physicians would be able to perspectively treat the actual triggers, the allergenic proteins. The treatment would „much more targeted“ run. (Sb)

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Image: Oliver Haja