Allergy to Artemisia vulgaris in the region of Warsaw

Abstract

From 446 pollinic patients, 398 of them (89%) were sensitive to the pollen of graminae and 187 (42%) to Artemisia Vulgaris. Sensitivity to the antigens of both increased the possibility of bronchial symptoms among pollinosis patients from 38% when only the allergy to graminae was present (up to 51%). Seventy eight percent of patients allergic exclusively to the pollen of grasses become symptomatic below the age of 20, whereas among 48 patients sensitive only to artemisia, in 71% the clinical symptoms appeared much later-after the age of 20. In half of these patients, the clinical symptoms were not only seasonal but also perennial. Almost 25% of these suffered from allergic skin reactions and 1/3 also from asthma. Eighty percent of Artemisia sensitive pollinic patients were also sensitive to the pollen of other plants from the family of compositae. The possible causes of the apparent increase of the prevalence of allergy to Artemisia Vulgaris are discussed.