An epidemiological survey on the allergological importance of some emerging pollens in Italy

Epidemiological studies on the pollens responsible for allergic diseases th roughout Italy are lacking. Routine diagnostic panels consist prevalently o f grass, Parietaria, weeds, birch, olive and mugwort. Considering the great variety of Italian geographical areas and the observation of the growing a llergological importance of new botanical species (e.g., ambrosia), a surve y on pollen species considered "minor" was necessary. A panel of "emerging" pollens (birch, hazelnut, alder, hornbeam, cypress, ragweed) and a routine panel were used to skin prick test 2,934 consecutive outpatients with resp iratory pathology of suspected allergic origin, in 21 centers across Italy. A specific questionnaire was compiled. It was found that 20.1% of patients did not react to allergens tested, 28.2% were positive for at least one em erging pollen and 51.7% did not react to emerging pollens but tested positi ve for at least one allergen from the routine panel. The prevalence of sing le pollen species was related to geographical areas. Ragweed pollen was sho wn to provoke asthma much more frequently than other pollens. Hitherto scar cely considered pollens play a considerable role in causing allergic diseas es in Italy. In the great majority of patients, positivity for these pollen s was associated with positivity to the better recognized group of pollen a llergens, although in some cases they were the primary pathogenic agent. We suggest that these more recently considered allergens be included in routi ne diagnostic panels.