Climate change and allergic diseases: An overview

Abstract

Climate change has been regarded as a threat to the human species on the earth. Greenhouse gasses are leading to increased temperatures on Earth besides impacting the humanity. These atmospheric conditions have shown to alter the release pattern of pollens and can change the timing and magnitude of pollen release with flowering plants. As pollen is responsible for respiratory allergies in humans, so climate change can adversely affect human health in susceptible individuals. In this review, we highlight the association between climate change, increased prevalence and severity of asthma, and related allergic diseases. Increased air pollution can alter the production of local and regional pollen. This altered pattern depends on bioclimatic parameters. As simulated with a pollen-release model and future bioclimatic data, warmer temperatures lead to an increased pollen count in some specific locations and for longer periods. Thus, anticipation of a future allergic disease burden can help public health agencies in planning to develop strategies in mitigating the unprecedented health challenges expected in future years.

Allergy in India

“…3 Global warming causes early pollination and prolongs hay fever season, enhances pollen burden and alters allergenicity. 3 Moitra et al highlight the high burden of allergic rhinitis in India, although they recognise the limitations of published evidence. 4 Existing data suggest a very high rate of sensitisation to dust mites Agarwal et al, estimate the community prevalence of ABPA as 46.2 per 100,000 population in India, probably highest in the world, with a greater burden in rural compared to the urban community.…”

“…The subject of global warming has attracted great interest in recent years as India produces 7% of greenhouse gases (3619.8 million tonnes in 2018), third after USA and China, and levels of PM 2.5 in metropolitan cities such as New Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai are amongst the highest in the world 2 . Higher levels of carbon dioxide enhance photosynthesis and pollen production and alter flowering pattern 3 . Pollens are contained within PM 2.5 and a combination of global warming and PM 2.5 (and other pollutants) may augment the adverse impact on allergic airways disease 3 .…”

“…3 Pollens are contained within PM 2.5 and a combination of global warming and PM 2.5 (and other pollutants) may augment the adverse impact on allergic airways disease. 3 Global warming causes early pollination and prolongs hay fever season, enhances pollen burden and alters allergenicity. 3 Moitra et al highlight the high burden of allergic rhinitis in India, although they recognise the limitations of published evidence.…”

Pulmonology for the rhinologist

“…Climate change also has a considerable impact on respiratory health, leading to increased pollen sensitization, greater morbidity in allergic disease, and more frequent asthma exacerbations [103]. Fossil fuel combustion significantly elevates environmental gas emissions, driving increased pollen production due to rising carbon dioxide levels and temperatures [100]. This leads to extended allergy seasons and more potent pollen negatively impacting allergic airways diseases [100,104,105].…”

Physical influences on the skin barrier and pathogenesis of allergy

“…The many contributors within the skin barrier allow for adequate conditions to prevent damage to the epithelium. More recently, the medical community has placed greater emphasis on discussing the physical effects on the skin barrier, including climate change [2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. Although genetic factors such as FLG mutations are risk factors for atopy, environmental influences like climate change are implicated in the increased incidence of allergic conditions, including atopic dermatitis and food allergy.…”