Climate Change and the Future of Allergies and Asthma

Climate change affects global temperature, meteorological variables, plant aerobiology, air pollution exposure and a host of other factors that individually have been implicated in the inception and/or exacerbation of allergic disease like asthma and allergic rhinitis. It is unknown how climate change will impact allergic disease prevalence and morbidity in the future.

Pollen seasons are lengthening with variable effects on pollen peak concentrations and allergenicity. Air pollution exposure is linked with enhance susceptibility to allergic inflammation induced by pollen and with enhanced susceptibility to infection with a morbidity/mortality from respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. The available literature largely supports the association between climate change and three of the most salient factors for allergic respiratory disease prevalence and morbidity: changes in allergen exposure, pollution exposure, and viral respiratory infection. More research is needed to understand the complex interactions between these factors and individual-level variables that influence disease susceptibility.