Nasal allergy and atmospheric pollution

Among the effects that pollution of the air causes on human health, irritat ion of the exposed mucosa is the earliest and the most obvious one. Polluta nts damage the anatomical and functional integrity of the primary airways, in particular they cause alteration of the mucociliary system. The mucosa u ndergoing continuous aggression by an aerosol loaded with pollutants assume s the characteristics of a tissue with chronic inflammatory processes with dysepithelialised areas that could be an easy entrance for airborne allerge ns. The loss of integrity of epithelial lining, the interference with the r epulsion of extraneous particles trapped in the mucus, the infiltration of the inflammatory cells and lymphocytes called into action by the phlogistic reaction multiply the occasion of meeting between environmental allergens and the immunological system of the host and basically of setting in motion the process of sensitisation. So there is a strict relationship between na sal allergy and pollution, that should not be ignored: allergy is the cause of considerable disturbances interfering with study, work and social activ ity and can lead to local and distal complications. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scien ce Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.