In addition to becoming an environmental issue, climate change is a serious threat to public health, especially for people with diet and respiratory allergies. Recent Comments laryngoscope Climate change is found to be changing pollen season and concentration, prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) disease, allergic sensitization and severity of AR symptoms. Forecasts suggest that pollen emissions may increase by 16-40% by the end of the century, while pollen season is extended by 19 days. These changes in duration and intensity of allergic seasons may lead to an increase in the frequency and intensity of symptoms in patients with allergic, especially in sensitive individuals.
Climate change not only affects patients with respiratory allergies, but also has broad and emerging effects on patients with food allergies and overall public health. Facing longer, more intense pollen seasons, rising temperatures and increasing pollution, it is crucial to determine the root cause of their allergic symptoms so that they can work with the medical team to develop an effective treatment plan.
Climate change and respiratory allergies
As the allergy season gets longer, it causes the pollen seasons of trees, grass and weeds to overlap, thereby increasing the exposure of pollen due to warming temperatures. In addition to pollen season, the weather generally affects allergies. One phenomenon, thunderstorm asthma, occurs when pollen shatters due to huge environmental changes. When this happens, the pollen breaks down into smaller particles that when inhaled, penetrate deep into the airway and cause severe aggravation in allergic asthma patients who are allergic to these pollen. Rainfall and increased humidity lead to the spread of common indoor allergens such as mold and dust mites.
Rising carbon dioxide levels can also affect mold and plant growth. In some molds, they grow three times the number of spores and produce twice the number of antigens that cause allergic reactions or sensitization. Elevated carbon dioxide levels can also enhance plant growth and pollen production, especially in weeds and certain grasses, such as Bermuda and Johnson grass, allowing them to spread more and grow into areas that usually do not grow. For food allergies, elevated carbon dioxide levels may also increase allergic proteins in food, such as ARA H1 in peanuts, which may make them more allergic.
In addition to carbon dioxide, air pollutants such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter cause an increase in allergies by damaging the epithelial barrier, whether in the intestine, respiratory, or skin. When these contaminants destroy this disorder, it increases the patient’s exposure to allergens and sensitizations, which in turn leads to clinical allergies. A study of Chinese children found that early exposure to high levels of outdoor and indoor air pollution can lead to the first and second waves of allergic epidemics, which is a new food-sensitive pathway in addition to the intestine and skin.
Beyond Breathing: The Impact of Global Warming on Food Allergies
In addition to epithelial barrier dysfunction, people are affected by climate change through other means of skin sensitivity, such as Alpha-Gal syndrome (AGS), a serious, potentially, potentially life-threatening reaction to red meat and other products made from mammals. A study by scientists from the University of Kansas, Kansas State University and Walter Reed shows that in recent years, the only lone star ticks have been increasingly positioned in the north and west, up to the north and Maine, and researchers believe that the growth of lone star ticks will lead to longer temperature changes due to the growth of lone star ticks.
The spread of mycotoxin fungi such as deoxygenol (DON) is also suspected to be affected by climate change, which is associated with increased carbon dioxide levels. Studies have found that these fungi can impair the integrity of gut disorders. In this study, mice fed barley, wheat and corn were contaminated with sensitivity and clinical allergies to peanuts due to Tang. The offspring of naked mice also showed increased sensitivity to egg allergy, suggesting possible generational effects.
Contamination may not only affect the prevalence of food allergies and related conditions, but also its severity. A Utah study found that patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EOE) had higher levels of particulate matter and usually had poorer symptoms during peak pollen season, which was associated with an increased risk of food feeding in the esophagus.
How the loss of an allergy system to the health care system and how diagnostic capabilities can be helped
Each year, there are approximately 1.1 million emergency room visits related to allergy-related conditions, and in the United States alone, food allergy-related visits take someone to the emergency room every 10 seconds. Emergency department visits to food allergies are a particularly important cost driver, with one study estimating the total cost of food allergies in children in the United States at $24.8 billion per year, mainly due to inpatient, outpatient and ED visits. Patients can leave the emergency room and hospital if they have an accurate understanding of the triggers of symptoms and take measures to avoid symptoms. To alleviate this economic burden, healthcare systems must adapt as environmental changes continue to reshape pollen patterns and alter allergen exposure.
As the environment continues to change and promote exposure to new allergens and increase existing sensitivity, prioritizing early and accurate allergic diagnosis can help patients avoid unnecessary allergen exposure and proactively address their symptoms, thereby reducing the severity of allergic reactions and helping less unnecessary emergency treatment. The right diagnostic approach ultimately shifts allergic management from proactive to responsiveness, ensuring better care and improving the quality of life of patients.
Image source: Bigstock Photos
Gary Falcetano of Pennsylvania is the U.S. Science Affairs Manager for Immunodiagnosing Allergies at Thermo Fisher Scientific. A licensed physician assistant with over 25 years of diverse experience in emergency disaster medicine, primary care, and allergy and immunology.
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