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.