“New” inhalant plant allergens

Allergologie select, vol. 4, pp. 1–10

Abstract

Specific IgE measurements obtained from patients suffering from respiratory allergy (n = 952) show that, despite similar climatic conditions, there are clear regional differences in pollen sensitization between North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria. The data on sensitization levels and pollen concentration was taken from the research and development project Ufoplan 3710 61 228 of the German Environment Agency for North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria (2011 - 2014). Most poly-sensitized patients have already shown sensitization, both in the form of cross-reactivity and species-specific sensitization, to "new" pollen allergens, such as Bermuda grass and olive tree. These plants are currently not common in Germany, but may become considerably more widespread due to the increase in average yearly temperatures caused by the global warming. The other "new" aeroallergens discussed here are plants that can be found throughout Germany, such as nettle, cypress, and pine. Their current sensitization levels are higher than 8%; however, their clinical impact appears to be underestimated. For clinical practice it is important to identify when patients' symptoms are typically severe and which regional plants might be responsible for the patients' complaints in this period of time, as this affects further diagnostic strategy. Allergens having an immune effect can then be targeted by specific immunotherapies. The information on complaints of the patients should be regularly recorded in symptom diaries. Recording this information for at least 1 year may allow to discover a correlation between specific types of pollen and allergy symptoms.

Authors 18

1. Stefani Röseler Aachen Department of Dermatology and Allergology

   Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen

   Department of Pneumology, Allergology, Sleep and Respiratory Medicine, Augustinians Hospital, Cologne

   Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen,

   Department of Pneumology, Allergology, Sleep and Respiratory Medicine, Augustinians Hospital, Cologne,

2. Jens Malte Baron Aachen Department of Dermatology and Allergology

   Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen

   Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen,

3. Conny Höflich
   Affiliation as printed

   Federal Environment Agency, Section II 1.5 Environmental Medicine and Health Effects Assessment, Berlin

   Federal Environment Agency,

   Section II

4. Hans Friedrich Merk Aachen Department of Dermatology and Allergology

   Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen

   Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen,

5. Murat Baş

   Medprevent Ottobrunn

   Affiliation as printed

   Otorhinolaryngology Practice, Ottobrunn

   Otorhinolaryngology Practice, Ottobrunn,

6. H. Bier Aachen Department of Dermatology and Allergology Department of Environmental Medicine

   University of Bonn · University Hospital Bonn · TUM Klinikum · Helios Amper-Klinikum Dachau · Universitätsklinikum Aachen · Technical University of Munich · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

   Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen

   Department of Environmental Medicine, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen

   Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Helios-Amper Clinic Dachau, Dachau

   Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital Rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, and

   Department of Pneumology, Allergology, Sleep and Respiratory Medicine, Augustinians Hospital, Cologne

   Federal Environment Agency, Section II 1.5 Environmental Medicine and Health Effects Assessment, Berlin

   Otorhinolaryngology Practice, Ottobrunn

   Department of Pneumology, Allergology,

   Sleep and Respiratory Medicine, Augustinians Hospital, Cologne, Germany

7. Wolfgang Dott Aachen Department of Environmental Medicine

   Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Environmental Medicine, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen

   Department of Environmental Medicine, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen,

   Environmental Medicine and Health Effects Assessment, Berlin,

8. Katharina Fietkau Aachen Department of Dermatology and Allergology

   Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen

   Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen,

9. Zuzanna Hajdu

   Helios Amper-Klinikum Dachau

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Helios-Amper Clinic Dachau, Dachau

   Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Helios-Amper Clinic Dachau, Dachau,

10. Lorraine Kaiser
    Affiliation as printed

    Federal Environment Agency, Section II 1.5 Environmental Medicine and Health Effects Assessment, Berlin

    Federal Environment Agency,

    Section II

11. Gottfried Laven Aachen Department of Environmental Medicine

    Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Environmental Medicine, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen

    Department of Environmental Medicine, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen,

    Environmental Medicine and Health Effects Assessment, Berlin,

12. Silke Moll‐Slodowy Aachen Department of Dermatology and Allergology

    Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen

    Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen,

13. Hans‐Guido Mücke
    Affiliation as printed

    Federal Environment Agency, Section II 1.5 Environmental Medicine and Health Effects Assessment, Berlin

    Federal Environment Agency,

    Section II

14. Wolfgang Straff
    Affiliation as printed

    Federal Environment Agency, Section II 1.5 Environmental Medicine and Health Effects Assessment, Berlin

    Federal Environment Agency,

    Section II

15. Gerda Wurpts Aachen Department of Dermatology and Allergology

    Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen

    Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen,

16. Amir Sadegh Yazdi Aachen Department of Dermatology and Allergology

    Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen

    Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen,

17. Adam M. Chaker

    TUM Klinikum · Technical University of Munich

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital Rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, and

18. Galina Balakirski Aachen Department of Dermatology and Allergology

    University of Bonn · University Hospital Bonn · Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

    Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen

    Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen,