Monitoring, distribution and clinical relevance of airborne pollen and fern spores in Southeast Asia – A systematic review

Southeast Asia is witnessing a rapid increase in the prevalence of allergic diseases, including asthma and allergic rhinitis. Pollen grains stand out as one of the primary triggers for allergy, and monitoring aeroallergens plays a pivotal role in allergy prevention. However, our understanding of the...

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Main Authors: Ngoc Thi Pham, MSc, Asad Siddiquee, MSc, Maureen Sabit, PhD, Łukasz Grewling, PhD
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:World Allergy Organization Journal
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1939455125000286
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author Ngoc Thi Pham, MSc
Asad Siddiquee, MSc
Maureen Sabit, PhD
Łukasz Grewling, PhD
author_facet Ngoc Thi Pham, MSc
Asad Siddiquee, MSc
Maureen Sabit, PhD
Łukasz Grewling, PhD
author_sort Ngoc Thi Pham, MSc
collection DOAJ
description Southeast Asia is witnessing a rapid increase in the prevalence of allergic diseases, including asthma and allergic rhinitis. Pollen grains stand out as one of the primary triggers for allergy, and monitoring aeroallergens plays a pivotal role in allergy prevention. However, our understanding of the diversity and abundance of allergenic pollen in tropical regions, as well as their clinical significance, remains limited. This review aims to address this issue by identifying the most potentially allergenic plants in Southeast Asia, examining sensitization rates to their pollen allergens, describing the dynamics of pollen seasons, and discussing the current state of aerobiological monitoring in the region. The selection of plants was conducted through a systematic review process (following PRISMA guidelines), by screening the Scopus and PubMed databases, and focusing on studies that provided clinical and aerobiological data. As a result, 73 studies related to pollen allergy in Southeast Asia were identified and reviewed. The list of potentially allergenic plants posing the highest risk in Southeast Asia has been narrowed down to 10, including 5 woody species, 2 primarily weed families, grasses, palms, and ferns. The descriptions of these plants are supplemented with information on their ecology, pollen seasons dynamics, and clinical significance.
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series World Allergy Organization Journal
spelling doaj-art-3d2d2e6d9bb2452aa609080c60ebb4b12025-08-20T02:24:59ZengElsevierWorld Allergy Organization Journal1939-45512025-05-0118510105310.1016/j.waojou.2025.101053Monitoring, distribution and clinical relevance of airborne pollen and fern spores in Southeast Asia – A systematic reviewNgoc Thi Pham, MSc0Asad Siddiquee, MSc1Maureen Sabit, PhD2Łukasz Grewling, PhD3Department of Systematic and Environmental Botany, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, PolandDepartment of Systematic and Environmental Botany, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, PolandDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Santo Tomas, Espana, Manila, PhilippinesDepartment of Systematic and Environmental Botany, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland; Laboratory of Aerobiology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland; Corresponding author. Laboratory of Aerobiology, Department of Systematic and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614 Poznań, Poland.Southeast Asia is witnessing a rapid increase in the prevalence of allergic diseases, including asthma and allergic rhinitis. Pollen grains stand out as one of the primary triggers for allergy, and monitoring aeroallergens plays a pivotal role in allergy prevention. However, our understanding of the diversity and abundance of allergenic pollen in tropical regions, as well as their clinical significance, remains limited. This review aims to address this issue by identifying the most potentially allergenic plants in Southeast Asia, examining sensitization rates to their pollen allergens, describing the dynamics of pollen seasons, and discussing the current state of aerobiological monitoring in the region. The selection of plants was conducted through a systematic review process (following PRISMA guidelines), by screening the Scopus and PubMed databases, and focusing on studies that provided clinical and aerobiological data. As a result, 73 studies related to pollen allergy in Southeast Asia were identified and reviewed. The list of potentially allergenic plants posing the highest risk in Southeast Asia has been narrowed down to 10, including 5 woody species, 2 primarily weed families, grasses, palms, and ferns. The descriptions of these plants are supplemented with information on their ecology, pollen seasons dynamics, and clinical significance.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1939455125000286AllergyAsiaFernsPalmsPollen seasons
spellingShingle Ngoc Thi Pham, MSc
Asad Siddiquee, MSc
Maureen Sabit, PhD
Łukasz Grewling, PhD
Monitoring, distribution and clinical relevance of airborne pollen and fern spores in Southeast Asia – A systematic review
World Allergy Organization Journal
Allergy
Asia
Ferns
Palms
Pollen seasons
title Monitoring, distribution and clinical relevance of airborne pollen and fern spores in Southeast Asia – A systematic review
title_full Monitoring, distribution and clinical relevance of airborne pollen and fern spores in Southeast Asia – A systematic review
title_fullStr Monitoring, distribution and clinical relevance of airborne pollen and fern spores in Southeast Asia – A systematic review
title_full_unstemmed Monitoring, distribution and clinical relevance of airborne pollen and fern spores in Southeast Asia – A systematic review
title_short Monitoring, distribution and clinical relevance of airborne pollen and fern spores in Southeast Asia – A systematic review
title_sort monitoring distribution and clinical relevance of airborne pollen and fern spores in southeast asia a systematic review
topic Allergy
Asia
Ferns
Palms
Pollen seasons
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1939455125000286
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