Aeroallergen

An aeroallergen (pronounced aer·o·al·ler·gen) is any

.

Pollens

Aeroallergens include the pollens of specific seasonal plants is commonly known as "

]

The pollen which causes hay fever varies from person to person and from region to region; generally speaking, the tiny, hardly visible pollens of wind-pollinated plants are the predominant cause. Pollens of insect-pollinated plants are too large to remain airborne and pose no risk.

Examples of plant pollen commonly responsible for hay fever include:

• Trees: such as birch (
  Salix), poplar (Populus), plane (Platanus), linden/lime (Tilia) and olive (Olea
  ). In northern latitudes birch is considered to be the most important allergenic tree pollen. An estimated 15–20% of those with hay fever are sensitive to birch pollen grains. Olive pollen is most predominant in Mediterranean regions.
• Grasses (Family
  timothy
  (Phleum pratense). An estimated 90% of those with hay fever are allergic to grass pollen.
• Weeds: ragweed (Ambrosia), plantain (Plantago), nettles/parietaria (Urticaceae), mugwort (Artemisia), Fat hen (Chenopodium) and sorrel/dock (Rumex)

The time of year at which hay fever symptoms manifest themselves varies greatly depending on the types of pollen to which an allergic reaction is produced. The pollen count, in general, is highest from mid-spring to early summer. As most pollens are produced at fixed periods in the year, a person with long-term hay fever may also be able to anticipate when the symptoms are most likely to begin and end, although this may be complicated by an allergy to dust particles.^{[citation needed]}

Spores

In fungi, both asexual and sexual spores or sporangiospores of many fungal species are actively dispersed by forcible ejection from their reproductive structures, which travel through the air over long distances. Many fungi thereby possess specialized mechanical and physiological mechanisms as well as spore-surface structures, such as

.

Foodstuffs

It is commonly thought that peanuts and other allergic foodstuffs may become airborne, thus triggering allergic reactions in susceptible individuals, especially children.^[3][4][5]

However, one report notes:

Recently concern has been raised that peanut protein in the air will trigger a full-blown anaphylaxis since respiratory exposure can occur in the school setting as food proteins aerosolize into vapors during cooking at high temperatures, even in well-ventilated cafeterias. When airborne peanut protein exposure and reactions of children with known peanut allergies were explored, no allergic symptoms or anaphylaxis were observed when peanut allergic children were not aware of the airborne exposure. Interestingly, when aware of the exposure, symptoms of itchy eyes, sneezing, and runny nose resulted. In a research article by Perry, et al. (2004), no peanut allergen was detected in the air after subjects consumed peanut butter, shelled peanuts, and unshelled peanuts. As Dr. Michael Young notes in his 2006 book, The Peanut Allergy Answer Book, predicting who will have a life-threatening anaphylactic response to airborne allergy is very unpredictable and the likelihood of it is very, very small. ... There remains no evidence that exposure to airborne peanut protein worsens allergy or results in anaphylaxis for the majority of peanut allergic individuals. There always remains the possibility that someone who is exceptionally sensitive will experience a severe reaction, however, protecting them from all possible exposures to peanut protein is extremely difficult.

— NetWellness website^[6]

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EG) is a rare and heterogeneous condition characterized by patchy or diffuse

The

As a part of

etc.

Eosinophil recruitment into inflammatory tissue is a complex process, regulated by a number of

In addition eotaxin has been shown to have an integral role in regulating the homing of eosinophils into the lamina propria of stomach and small intestine.^[10] In the allergic subtype of disease, it is thought that food

EG is "managed" (treated) with

See also

• Aerobiology

References