By Taj Panesar - Kingston-upon-Thames University, UK

When it comes to airborne diseases Europe is a geographically complex continent, which has widely diverse climate and a wide spectrum of vegetation. From this reason the pollen calendars differ from one area to another, however overall the pollination season starts in the spring and ends in autumn. Many people might know that pollen is the major constituent in causing seasonal hayfever, but what exactly is pollen? Each spring, summer, and fall tiny particles are released from trees, weeds and grasses. These particles are usually targeting other plants to begin pollination but due to the air they are inhaled by humans and therefore trigger specific hypersensitive reactions releasing the hormone histamine, which causes the common symptoms experienced in hayfever. The pollen grains are wind-dispersed which can travel the distance of over 400 millions miles. Over 400 million of the allergy suffers, are allergic to grass pollen, which is by far the most frequent cause of pollinosis in Europe1. In Northern Europe the most dominant pollen species come from the family Betulaceae (BIRCH). In the Mediterranean where there are usually mild winters and dry summers the most common types of pollinosis that is really found in central and northern Europe such as genera Parietaria (NETTLE), Olea (OLIVE), and Cupressus (CYPRESS). The clinical and aerobiologic studies show that the pollen map of Europe is changing possibly due to the increasing stress of climate change and global warming. It could also be due to cultural factors such as the importation of plants and urban parklands and the great international travel of different types of plants across the continent such as the expansion of the ragweed genus Ambrosia in France, northern Italy, Austria and Hungary. In Britain about 90% of the hayfever sufferers are allergic to grass pollen and about 25% are allergic to birch pollen.

A person suffering from hayfever can be allergy to one or multiple types of pollen, but the relative importance of the kinds of pollen that can be the trigger for hayfever depend on different climatic and vegetation zones. As mentioned 90% of the hayfever sufferers are allergic to grass pollen, and the number of people affected with allergic rhinitis is on the increase with the number of children being affected doubling over the past 20 years. The reason for the increase is unclear but possibly due to the change in climate and vegetation including the area people live. Grasses pollinate during mid-summer from May to August, even though there are over 1200 species of grass only a few are well known to cause the allergic reactions. The most profusely pollinating grasses are timothy, rye, cocksfoot, meadow and fescue. Occasionally in the late summer and autumn, weeds such as nettles and dock as well as mugwort and plaintain can also trigger hayfever (2). Among other plants weeds are also one of the most prolific producers of allergenic pollen- ragweed. Ragweed is the major culprit, but others of importance are sagebrush, redroot pigweed, lamb's quarters, Russian thistle and English plain.

The clearest way to prevent the allergic reactions by the pollen is to avoid the specific type of pollen all in all. This would include being indoor when the pollen count is the highest outside between the time of 5-10AM. A convenient way to keep track the levels of pollen during the year or on daily basis is to keep yourself updated with a pollen calendar (3). This count represents the concentration of all the pollen (or a particular type) in the certain area at a specific time. It is also important to know that pollen can be transported indoor on people and pets, therefore an investment into a Air Purifier would clean the indoor air within the house. There are several types of treatments available to help cope with the hayfever season.

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Allergy UK
www.allergyuk.org

BBC Weather – pollen count
www.bbc.co.uk/weather/pollen

National Society for Research in Allergy
www.all-allergy.co.uk

National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit
http://www.pollenuk.co.uk/
http://www.pollenuk.co.uk/aero/ABPollenUK.html

Pollen UK
The pollen and spore monitoring network of the United Kingdom .

http://www.aaaai.org/AADMC/
The Allergy and Asthma Disease Management Center (AADMC) Web site has been constructed to provide timely, practical and important information to physicians from a wide variety of backgrounds and clinical practice.

http://www.allergyuk.org/art_hayfever.aspx
Allergy UK is the country's leading national medical charity dealing with allergy and we are here to help you. Allergy UK provides you with up to date information on all aspects of allergy, food intolerance and chemical sensitivity.

http://www.medinfo.co.uk/conditions/hayfever.html
website including conventional information on hayfever.

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/hay_fever/article_em.htm
Everything you need to know about hayfever including the symptoms, treatment and diagnosis.

http://www.allergy-clinic.co.uk/hayfever.htm
Directed by Dr. Morris, which talks about what is allergy, who gets allergy including hayfever or allergy rhinitis and other allergy products.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/allergies/allergicconditions_hayfever.shtml

www.bbc.co.uk/weather/pollen
BBC usually has a section on hayfever every season, probably the best link on this list!

http://www.allergyadvice.co.uk/
Allergy advice that offers up to date information in relation to Benadryl.

www.all-allergy.co.uk
National society for research in allergy

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1.. D' Amato G, Spieksma et al. Pollen-related allergy in Europe. Allergy 1998; 53(6): 567-78.

2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/allergies/allergicconditions_hayfever.shtml

3. Pollen Calendar: http://www.pollenuk.co.uk/Next.htm