According to the president of the Clinical Aerobiology Committee of the SEAIC, Juan José Zapata, the «very high» temperatures of winter, where the average has been 1.1ºC above the historical average, and the «normality in terms of precipitation,» which has not included the rains of March in the model, will lead to an «increase in pollen production, both by prolonging the period and also by anticipating the peaks earlier than expected.»
Specifically, in the central part of the Iberian Peninsula, there will be variations, with a spring that goes from «very mild» to «mild» in Aragon and is expected to be «moderate to intense» in Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha, and the Community of Madrid. «In Ciudad Real and Toledo we expect 6,000 pollen grains per cubic meter or even more if the temperature is right,» Zapata explained.
In the southern part of the Peninsula, there will be a considerable increase in grass pollen compared to previous years in Almería, Cádiz, Málaga, or Huelva, where levels can reach 1,700 grains, double that of previous seasons. In Córdoba and Granada, the spring will be «moderate,» while in Sevilla, Jaén, and the Extremadura region, it will possibly be «very intense.»
At this point, Zapata noted that in previous years the intensity of grass pollen in Cáceres and Badajoz could reach 8,000, 9,000, or even 10,000 grains, but the model shows that this year the number could reach up to 19,000 grains, which is why he alerted allergic individuals to a possible «additional impact.»
In contrast, the peripheral areas of the Peninsula, such as coastal areas and the Canary Islands, are «much less» affected by pollen. In the Canary Islands, the spring is expected to be «mild» with 250 grains per cubic meter, although Zapata clarified that the definition of «low levels» is in comparison to the rest of the country, so «it is possible that in the area where the patient lives, these pollen levels are significant enough to trigger symptoms.»
Likewise, a «mild» spring is also forecasted for the Cantabrian coast, with cities like Bilbao, San Sebastián, La Coruña, Lugo, Pontevedra, Orense, Santander, and Oviedo not exceeding 2,000 grains per cubic meter. In Logroño and Pamplona, a «moderate» spring is expected with levels reaching between 3,000 and 4,000 grains.
Additionally, the specialist indicated that grass pollen seems to be spreading to other areas of the Peninsula due to climatic conditions, reaching regions of the Basque Country, as in Vitoria where a figure of 5,200 grains is expected, something they hope to confirm in real-time.
Along the Mediterranean coast, that is, in the Balearic Islands, Catalonia, Valencia, and Murcia, there is not expected to be a «particularly significant» impact from grass pollen, as usual.
IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE
During the press conference, the impact of climate change and pollution on allergic individuals and on pollen and allergens in general was highlighted.
«Climate change and pollution not only lead to more pollen over a longer period but also make this pollen more impactful on our patients, even causing symptoms in patients or individuals who did not have allergy symptoms before,» detailed Darío Antolín, vice president of the SEAIC.
The expert pointed out that 40 percent of people currently have some form of allergy, and it is expected that this number will increase in the coming years to the point where one in two people will suffer from an allergy.
«More pollution, more climate change, more allergies, poorer quality of life, and more impact on the health of our patients,» affirmed Antolín.
In this regard, Juan José Zapata stated that the high temperatures in recent years are leading to an increase in pollen due to the «stress» that plants are facing, and he also affirmed that climate change can already be considered a «risk factor» for pollen allergies and other allergic diseases.
In this vein, experts pointed to the efforts being made by the SEAIC, the Ministry of Health, and other scientific societies, including internationally, to develop a ‘One Health’ approach that achieves a balance in human, animal, and environmental health that enhances health at all levels.
HETEROGENEOUS DISTRIBUTION OF PROFESSIONALS
Given the significant number of people affected by allergies, the forecasts of an increasing number of cases, and the complexity of patients, the president-elect of the SEAIC, Arantza Vega, emphasized the important role that allergists play in diagnosis and treatment.
«I want to emphasize that there must be someone who focuses, diagnoses the patient comprehensively, treats them, phenotypes the patient, and provides precise treatment that in some cases can lead to a cure, as is the case with immunotherapy, which can cure a large percentage of respiratory allergies,» she pointed out.
As she explained, the distribution of allergy specialists in the country is heterogeneous, with some areas having «sufficient resources,» such as Madrid, while others have a «limited» presence. She added that even within the same autonomous community, there are differences between hospitals.
«We have areas that are very deficient, and within the same autonomous community, there are hospitals that are well-equipped and others that are much less equipped,» she noted.
Therefore, the president-elect of the SEAIC highlighted that the Society is promoting the teaching of Allergology in all medical schools in the country so that doctors can be trained in this prevalent condition, also promoting quality in the specialist doctors graduating each year and fostering diagnosis and treatment, as well as research in this field.
Additionally, Vega celebrated on behalf of the SEAIC the opening of the first Allergology service in the Balearic Islands, which previously did not have a specialist in public health care.