POSTER PRESENTATION Open Access

Alder pollen of Alnus spaethii at christmas: fromepidemiology of molecular allergens to thepolitical solutionMarkus Gassner1*, Regula Gehrig2, Peter Schmid-Grendelmeier3

From 5th International Symposium on Molecular Allergology (ISMA 2013)Vienna, Austria. 6-7 December 2013

BackgroundA newly planted alley with hybrid trees (Alnus x spaethii:A. japonica x A. subcordata) changes the exposition, emis-sion and sensitization pattern in a population. This byhybridizing man made and man planted tree is recom-mended to plant in towns. We report about the politicalconsequences.

MethodsIgE antibodies to 103 molecular allergens were measured(using ImmunoCAP ISAC) in serum samples obtainedfrom 54 students in 1986 and from 46 students in 2006. In2010, 12 of the former students from 1986 with positiveIgE antibodies to inhalant allergens where retested. Alongthe main boulevard in Buchs 96 hybrid trees (Alnusspaethii) were planted 1995-2000. Atmospheric pollenlevels were measured in Buchs since 1984, phenologicalobservation since 2009.

ResultsIgE antibodies against the main allergen of alder trees(rAln g 1), which were not detected in any child in 1986,were found in 10.9% of unselected schoolchildren in 2006.This increased prevalence of sensitization was not seenwith pollen of other trees, such as birch, hazel, ash, orplane. Among the 12 former students who were tested atthe ages of 15 and 39 years, 3 (25%) showed newly detect-able IgE antibodies to alder pollen in 2010. Although noneof the schoolchildren reported having allergic symptomsin December from 1983 through 1986. Phenological obser-vations since 2009 show constantly an early flowering ofA. spaethii between Christmas and New Year’s day, as fare

two months earlier as the indigenous alder (A. glutinosa,A. incana). 236 gr of pollen were directly harvest at27.12.2011 from some branches of a tree. All of the aldertrees in this street had emitted tonnes of pollen every year.A. spaethii trees produce much more pollen than indigen-ous species.

ConclusionsAlnus spaethii pollen induced allergic sensitizations andsymptoms as rhinoconjunctivitis in winter with a muchhigher emission of pollen than indigenous alder species. Itremains unclear why this tree is flowering so early everyyear (effect of climate, chilling, street lighting). These aldertrees are even now replaced by amber trees (Liquidambarstyraciflua worplesdon) because of their too fast growth,too much shadow and more littering problems of leaf andfruits as well as the described allergological problems.Plant trees in towns, but consider also the allergenicpotential of their pollen.

Authors’ details1University Zurich, Spitalstr. 8, Grabs, CH-9472, Switzerland. 2MeteoSwiss,Aerobiology, 8044 Zurich, Switzerland. 3Zurich University Hospital, AllergyUnit, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland.

Published: 17 March 2014

doi:10.1186/2045-7022-4-S2-P36Cite this article as: Gassner et al.: Alder pollen of Alnus spaethii atchristmas: from epidemiology of molecular allergens to the politicalsolution. Clinical and Translational Allergy 2014 4(Suppl 2):P36.

1University Zurich, Spitalstr. 8, Grabs, CH-9472, SwitzerlandFull list of author information is available at the end of the article

Gassner et al. Clinical and Translational Allergy 2014, 4(Suppl 2):P36http://www.ctajournal.com/content/4/S2/P36

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