The prevalence of allergic airway diseases such as asthma and rhinitis has increased dramatically to epidemic proportions worldwide. Besides air pollution from industry derived emissions and motor vehicles, the rising trend can only be explained by major changes in the environments where we live.
The world economy has been transformed over the last 25 years around the planet, in both developed and developing countries, environments are undergoing profound changes. Many of these changes are considered to have negative effects on respiratory health and to enhance the frequency and severity of respiratory diseases such as asthma.
The newly published report of the World Allergy Organization (WAO) raises the importance of this health hazard and highlights the facts on climate-related health impacts, including:
- deaths and acute morbidity due to heat waves and extreme meteorological events;
- increased frequency of acute cardio-respiratory events due to higher concentrations of ground level ozone;
- changes in the frequency of respiratory diseases due to trans-boundary particle pollution;
- distribution of allergens (pollens, molds, and mites); and some infectious disease vectors.
According to this report, these impacts will not only affect those with current asthma but also increase the incidence and prevalence of allergic respiratory conditions and of asthma. The effects of climate change on respiratory allergy are still not well defined, and more studies addressing this topic are needed. Global warming is expected to affect the start, duration, and intensity of the pollen season on the one hand, and the rate of asthma exacerbations due to air pollution, respiratory infections, and/or cold air inhalation, and other conditions on the other hand.
To read the report “Meteorological conditions, climate change, new emerging factors, and asthma and related allergic disorders. A statement of the World Allergy Organization”, please click here: http://www.waojournal.org/content/8/1/25
Author of the picture, Takver: https://www.flickr.com/photos/takver/