Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023 Dec;131(6):694-702.
doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2023.08.610. Epub 2023 Sep 7.

Factors by which global warming worsens allergic disease

Hana Seastedt  1 , Kari Nadeau  2
Affiliations
Review

Factors by which global warming worsens allergic disease

Hana Seastedt et al. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2023 Dec.

Abstract

Increased use of fossil fuels has led to global warming with concomitant increases in the severity and frequency of extreme weather events such as wildfires and sand and dust storms. These changes have led to increases in air pollutants such as particulate matter and greenhouse gases. Global warming is also associated with increases in pollen season length and pollen concentration. Particulate matter, greenhouse gases, and pollen synergistically increase the incidence and severity of allergic diseases. Other indirect factors such as droughts, flooding, thunderstorms, heat waves, water pollution, human migration, deforestation, loss of green space, and decreasing biodiversity (including microbial diversity) also affect the incidence and severity of allergic disease. Global warming and extreme weather events are expected to increase in the coming decades, and further increases in allergic diseases are expected, exacerbating the already high health care burden associated with these diseases. There is an urgent need to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change to improve human health. Human health and planetary health are connected and the concept of One Health, which is an integrated, unifying approach to balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and the environment needs to be emphasized. Clinicians are trusted members of the community, and they need to take a strong leadership role in educating patients on climate change and its adverse effects on human health. They also need to advocate for policy changes that decrease the use of fossil fuels and increase biodiversity and green space to enable a healthier and more sustainable future.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Disclosures Dr Nadeau reports receiving grants from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and Food Allergy Research and Education; has stock options from IgGenix, Seed Health, ClostraBio, Cour, and Alladapt; is an advisor at Cour Pharma; a consultant for Excellergy, Red tree ventures, Before Brands, Alladapt, Cour, Latitude, Regeneron, and IgGenix; the cofounder of Before Brands, Alladapt, Latitude, and IgGenix; a national scientific committee member at Immune Tolerance Network and the National Institutes of Health clinical research centers; and has patents, which include the following: “Mixed allergen composition and methods for using the same,” “Granulocyte-based methods for detecting and monitoring immune system disorders,” and “Methods and Assays for Detecting and Quantifying Pure Subpopulations of White Blood Cells in Immune System Disorders.” Ms Seastedt has no conflicts of interest to report.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Factors contributing to an increase in air pollution and its effect on the environment. One-way arrows indicate a causal relationship. Created with BioRender.com.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Mitigation and adaptation actions for clinicians to help address the effects of climate change and global warming. Created with BioRender.com.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Pawankar R, Canonica GW, Holgate ST, Lockey RF, Blaiss MS. WAO white book on allergy. Milwaukee, WI: World Allergy Organization. 2011;3:156–157.
    1. AAAAI.Allergy Statistics.https://www.aaaai.org/about/news/for-media/allergy-statistics. Accessed on May 30. 2023.
    1. Jackson KD, Howie LD, Akinbami LJ. Trends in allergic conditions among children: United States, 1997–2011. NCHS Data Brief. 2013:1–8. - PubMed
    1. Gupta RS, Warren CM, Smith BM, Blumenstock JA, Jiang J, Davis MM, Nadeau KC. The Public Health Impact of Parent-Reported Childhood Food Allergies in the United States. Pediatrics. 2018;142. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Savouré M, Bousquet J, Jaakkola JJK, Jaakkola MS, Jacquemin B, Nadif R. Worldwide prevalence of rhinitis in adults: A review of definitions and temporal evolution. Clin Transl Allergy. 2022;12:e12130. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types