Social media to monitor prevalent diseases: Hay fever and Twitter activity in Germany

Sitaru, Sebastian; Wecker, Hannah; Buters, Jeroen; Biedermann, Tilo; Zink, Alexander

doi:10.1111/all.15787

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is challenging with clinical studies focusing on individual patients due to the high level of effort required. To address this gap, alternative approaches such as digital epidemiology and symptom diary apps have been explored [15][16][17]. However, these methods may be susceptible to limitations in obtaining representative samples, recall bias, and the need for active participations, hindering their full potential.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Wastewater-Based Analysis of Antihistamines to Investigate Pollinosis Symptom Burden at Population-Scale

Baumgartner,

Salvisberg,

Clot

et al. 2023

Preprint

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BackgroundPollinosis, commonly known as seasonal allergic rhinoconjuctivitis or hay fever, is the world’s most prevalent allergic disorder, posing substantial health and economic impacts. This study explores the application of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) to assess the population-scale burden of pollinosis by correlating antihistamine markers in wastewater with airborne pollen data.MethodsOver two years, 251 wastewater samples – each representing a 24-hour period with excreta from approximately 471,000 individuals – were collected in Zurich (Switzerland). Eleven antihistamine markers were analyzed in the samples using liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). The relationship between wastewater antihistamine loads – primarily fexofenadine selected due to its high concentrations and stability – and airborne pollen concentrations of 47 taxa was investigated using a linear non-negative least squares regression model.ResultsThe wastewater loads of second-generation antihistamines, namely bilastine, cetirizine, and fexofenadine, displayed a strong seasonal correlation with airborne pollen patterns. For fexofenadine about half of its annual usage was linked to episodes of acute pollen exposure. A noted delay and persistence in consumption implied enduring symptoms following exposure. Grass pollen accounted for a quarter of annual consumption, indicating high population allergy burden. Increases in fexofenadine loads during periods without known allergenic pollen suggested additional triggers for allergy symptoms, potentially yew pollen.ConclusionsThe striking correlation between second-generation antihistamines in wastewater and pollen suggests that WBE is a viable tool to assess population-scale allergy burden. Deciphering the interplay between pollen allergen exposure, prevalence, and symptom severity, requires further research, which would benefit from advancements in automated pollen measurements and the institutionalization of WBE.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Wastewater-Based Analysis of Antihistamines to Investigate Pollinosis Symptom Burden at Population-Scale

Baumgartner,

Salvisberg,

Clot

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Comparison of clinical research trends and hotspots in allergic rhinitis and asthma from 2013 to 2023 based on bibliometric analysis

Zhao,

Yang,

Liu

et al. 2024

Heliyon

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Single-Domain Antibodies—Novel Tools to Study and Treat Allergies

Zettl,

Bauernfeind,

Kollárová

et al. 2024

IJMS

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IgE-mediated allergies represent a major health problem in the modern world. Apart from allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT), the only disease-modifying treatment, researchers focus on biologics that target different key molecules such as allergens, IgE, or type 2 cytokines to ameliorate allergic symptoms. Single-domain antibodies, or nanobodies, are the newcomers in biotherapeutics, and their huge potential is being investigated in various research fields since their discovery 30 years ago. While they are dominantly applied for theranostics of cancer and treatment of infectious diseases, nanobodies have become increasingly substantial in allergology over the last decade. In this review, we discuss the prerequisites that we consider to be important for generating useful nanobody-based drug candidates for treating allergies. We further summarize the available research data on nanobodies used as allergen monitoring and detection probes and for therapeutic approaches. We reflect on the limitations that have to be addressed during the development process, such as in vivo half-life and immunogenicity. Finally, we speculate about novel application formats for allergy treatment that might be available in the future.

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Social media to monitor prevalent diseases: Hay fever and Twitter activity in Germany

Cited by 3 publications

References 4 publications

Wastewater-Based Analysis of Antihistamines to Investigate Pollinosis Symptom Burden at Population-Scale

Wastewater-Based Analysis of Antihistamines to Investigate Pollinosis Symptom Burden at Population-Scale

Comparison of clinical research trends and hotspots in allergic rhinitis and asthma from 2013 to 2023 based on bibliometric analysis

Single-Domain Antibodies—Novel Tools to Study and Treat Allergies

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