Pollen allergy and variability in seasonal exposure in Australia

Allergic asthma and allergic rhinitis are important chronic diseases and public health issues in Australia, and elsewhere. Pollen are significant sources of clinically relevant outdoor aeroallergens. This presentation will describe research conducted by a working group that formed in 2013 with the support of the Australian Centre for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (ACEAS), a virtual and physical facility within the Australian Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN). This research provides a national, and indeed international, perspective on the state of Australian pollen monitoring and data. Atmospheric grass pollen concentration is examined over a number of years for Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, and Sydney, including determination of the “clinical” pollen season and pollen peak. The results of this study describe, for the first time, a striking spatial and temporal variability in grass pollen seasons in Australia, with important implications for clinicians and public health professionals, and the Australian pollen-allergic community. Establishment of an Australian national pollen monitoring network would help facilitate advances in the clinical and public health management of the millions of Australians with allergic asthma and allergic rhinitis.