Obtułowicz K
Clinic of Allergic and Immunological Diseases, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University, Cracow.
Folia Med Cracov. 1993;34(1-4):121-8.
Pollen allergy is the most typical form of allergic diseases. The increase in its frequency during recent years is most evident. The disease was rare when it was first described 150 years ago as summer hay fever. In 1876 Blackley wrote that the frequency of pollen allergy was increasing, especially in industrialized countries. Nowadays the prevalence of pollen allergy is well above 10%. Among the patients predominate the inhabitants of large cities, but not rural residents. Allergy develops as a result of multiple interactions between the human immune system and the environment. The current state of knowledge does not permit precision about the importance of genetic and environmental factors. It appears that although genetic control is very important, the environmental influences seem most important in determining the specific allergens to which a person will develop hypersensitivity. The adjuvant factors of the environment play an important role in the increasing problem of pollen allergy in large cities. Air pollution such as sulphur dioxide, ozone, nitrogen oxides, occupational dust, organic and inorganic suspended particulate matter, tobacco smoke, etc., can cause an increase in airway reactivity through mechanisms dependent on or independent of specific IgE antibodies. By irritating the airways and skin, pollen grain penetration into the human body can increase. Defective permeability of tissue surface can increase the risk of infection. Air pollution may also increase the development of pollen allergy through a direct influence on the pollen grains (on their enzymes, plant growth etc.). Lastly, the pollen grains may carry on their surfaces the various substances which are known as environmental allergens.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
花粉过敏是过敏性疾病最典型的形式。近年来其发病率的上升最为明显。150年前该病首次被描述为夏季枯草热时还很罕见。1876年布莱克利写道，花粉过敏的发病率在上升，尤其是在工业化国家。如今花粉过敏的患病率远高于10%。患者中大城市居民占多数，而非农村居民。过敏是人体免疫系统与环境之间多种相互作用的结果。目前的知识水平尚无法精确确定遗传和环境因素的重要性。虽然遗传控制非常重要，但环境影响似乎在决定一个人会对哪些特定过敏原产生超敏反应方面最为重要。环境中的辅助因素在大城市日益严重的花粉过敏问题中起着重要作用。诸如二氧化硫、臭氧、氮氧化物、职业粉尘、有机和无机悬浮颗粒物、烟草烟雾等空气污染，可通过依赖或不依赖特异性IgE抗体的机制导致气道反应性增加。通过刺激气道和皮肤，花粉颗粒进入人体的情况会增加。组织表面通透性缺陷会增加感染风险。空气污染还可能通过对花粉颗粒（其酶、植物生长等）的直接影响，增加花粉过敏的发生。最后，花粉颗粒表面可能携带各种被称为环境过敏原的物质。（摘要截选至250词）
