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Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2016 May;219(3):252-60. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2016.01.007. Epub 2016 Feb 1.

Potential health risk of allergenic pollen with climate change associated spreading capacity: Ragweed and olive sensitization in two German federal states.

Höflich C¹, Balakirski G², Hajdu Z³, Baron JM², Kaiser L⁴, Czaja K², Merk HF², Gerdsen S², Strassen U³, Bas M³, Bier H³, Dott W⁵, Mücke HG⁴, Straff W⁴, Chaker A⁶, Röseler S².

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Global climate changes may influence the geographical spread of allergenic plants thus causing new allergen challenges.

OBJECTIVE:

Allergy patients from two German federal states were compared for their status quo sensitization to ragweed, an establishing allergen, olive, a non-established allergen, and the native allergens birch, mugwort, and ash.

METHODS:

Between 2011 and 2013, 476 adult allergy patients per region were recruited. Patients completed a questionnaire, participated in a medical interview, and underwent skin prick testing and blood withdrawal for analysis of specific IgE to allergen components (ISAC technology). Data on regional pollen load from 2006 to 2011 were acquired from the German Pollen Information Service Foundation.

RESULTS:

Prick test reactivity to ragweed and ash, respectively, was lower in Bavaria than in NRW (ragweed: p=0.001, aOR=0.54; ash: p=0.001, aOR=0.59), whereas prick test reactivity to olive was higher (p=0.000, aOR=3.09). Prick test reactivity to birch and mugwort, respectively, did not significantly differ. 1% (1/127) of patients with prick test reactivity to ragweed showed sIgE to Amb a 1, and 65% (86/132) of olive-but-not-ash reactive patients showed sIgE to Ole e 1 (NRW: 67%, Bavaria: 65%; p=0.823, OR=0.91). Regional differences in sensitization pattern were neither explainable by cross-reactivity to pollen pan-allergens nor non-exposure variables nor by reported plant population or pollen data.

CONCLUSIONS:

Spread of ragweed and particularly olive may result in prompt occurrence of allergic symptoms. Early identification of invasive allergens due to climate change does need time and spatial close meshed measurement of respective indicator allergens and sensitization pattern.