Allergenic pollens and pollinosis in Italy: recent advances

Abstract

The authors have mapped the occurrence of allergenic pollens throughout Italy and defined their most common clinical symptoms. To obtain an accurate aerobiological and clinical picture of such a geographically complex country as Italy, a detailed investigation was carried out involving 80 data-gathering stations and 40 clinical centers nationwide. Three main pollination periods can be distinguished: winter-pre-spring (January to March) for Betulaceae, Corylaceae, Cupressaceae, Salicaceae and Ulmaceae: spring-summer (April to June) for Gramineae, Urticaceae, Oleaceae, Plantago, Fagaceae, Pinaceae and Polygonaceae, and summer-autumn (August to September) for Urticaceae, Compositae and Chenopodiaceae. Examination of 49,660 patients affected by pollinosis (conjunctivitis, rhinitis, asthma, with positive skin tests or IgE-specific serum determination: RAST, ELISA) throughout Italy revealed sensitivity to Gramineae in 64.6%, to Parietaria in 36.7% to Olea in 15.8%, to Compositae in 13.2%, to Betulaceae-Corylaceae in 7% and to Fagaceae-Cupressaceae-Plantago in 4%-10%; marked regional variations were observed. The patients suffered from rhino-conjunctivitis (55.7%), rhino-conjunctivitis plus asthma (31.6%) and asthma (12.7%). In monosensitised individuals, Parietaria was seen to be the main cause of the asthmatic syndrome (though our preliminary data also implicate Olea) followed by Gramineae.

High Levels of Olea europaea Pollen and Relation with Clinical Findings

“…Olea is the most important cause of pollinosis in our area, with 84% of patients sensitized to pollen. Of those only 14% react exclusively with olea allergens [3, 10, 11]. The high significant correlation between pollen count and SAR symptoms suggests that the concentration in the atmosphere necessary to suffer at least from mild symptoms in our study group (around 400 grains/m 3 ) applies to most patients clinically sensitive to O. europaea.…”

Onset of allergy and asthma symptoms in extra‐European immigrants to Milan, Italy: possible role of environmental factors

“…The spectrum of allergic sensitization in immigrants to Milan overlapped the one for the general population living in the north of Italy [16, 17]. Some differences were found among immigrants from different countries regarding the risk of sensitization to certain allergens: in particular, the people from North Africa had a reduced OR for sensitization to grass pollens (0.56, 95% CI 0.32–0.98, P < 0.001).…”

The natural history of allergy: the development of new sensitizations in asthmatic children

“…Parietaria season is very prolonged as pollens may be detected since February to November, thus Parietaria may be considered as an almost perennial allergen. Grasses occur from April to June and from September to October [17]. Olive tree pollens are detectable for a very limited period (few weeks) at the end of May and early June [18].…”