[Seasonal allergic rhinitis and pollen count (a 5-year survey in Budapest)]

The authors compared the seasonal symptoms and the pollen allergen spectrum of pollen allergy with the 5-year aeropalynological data in Budapest. They summarized the average of symptom scores based on the diaries of 105 pollen allergic patients (mainly children) suffering from seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. The pollen allergen spectrum of the patients was defined. They constructed a local pollen calendar on the basis of the first regular pollen counting in Budapest, which had been done by them for 5 years. The symptom scores grew parallel with the increasing number of grass and ragweed pollen. Tree pollen allergy was found in 7.6 per cent of the patients. In spite of the high number of three pollen in the air in March and April the patients did not have too many complaints according to their symptom scores. Grass pollen allergy was found in 67.6 per cent of the patients and in the grass pollen season (May-July) the characteristic clinical symptoms were expressed. Weeds (in 64.8 per cent of the patients), especially ragweed (in 59.0 per cent of the patients) caused the most significant complaints in the late summer--autumn (August, September and partly October) period. Ragweed and other weeds play an important role in the etiology of seasonal allergic diseases in Hungary. The authors call the attention to the necessity of measures taken against the spread of ragweed.