Impacts of climate change on aeroallergens

Hyun Jung Jin; Jeong-Eun Kim; Joo-Hee Kim; Hae-Sim Park

doi:10.5124/jkma.2011.54.2.156

J Korean Med Assoc > Volume 54(2); 2011 > Article

Jin, Kim, Kim, and Park: Impacts of climate change on aeroallergens

Focused Issue of This Month

Climate Change and Allergy

Journal of the Korean Medical Association

Journal of the Korean Medical Association 2011; 54(2): 156-160.

Published online: February 11, 2011

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2011.54.2.156

Impacts of climate change on aeroallergens

Hyun Jung Jin, MD, Jeong-Eun Kim, MD, Joo-Hee Kim, MD, Hae-Sim Park, MD

Department of Allergy and Rheumatology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.

Corresponding author: Hae-Sim Park, hspark@ajou.ac.kr

Received November 23, 2010 Accepted December 10, 2010

This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Climactic changes are key environmental issues affecting allergic diseases. Temperature and CO₂ content have been found to be increasing together with climate changes, which could increase pollen production, extend the pollination period, and augment the allergenic components of major pollens. Changes in the distribution of major trees and weeds have been noted. Severe weather events such as thunderstorm winds and precipitation could increasingly cause pollen grains to burst, releasing allergenic particles and leading to extensive mold growth. Air pollutants can increase the concentration of allergen released from pollen grains and allow for easier penetration into airway mucosa. Future studies will be essential to investigate the mechanisms by which allergenic contents can be changed in response to climate change. A better understanding of how aeroallergens interact with air pollutants is needed. Climate change has a significant impact on aeroallergen levels and content in ways which may accelerate the development of allergic diseases. Future strategies will be crucial in preventing the allergic diseases associated with climate changes.

Climate change; Aeroallergens; Allergic disease; Pollen; Fungi

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