Seasonal allergies — also known as allergic rhinitis or hay fever — run rampant this time of year among students, as pollen levels in the air hit their peak. Sharon Krause, coordinator of the Student Health’s Allergy Shot Clinic, said the pollen that causes spring allergies comes primarily from oak, maple and pine trees. In Charlottesville, the sweet gum and birch trees in bloom may also cause some allergy symptoms, she said.
Seasonal allergies occur when the immune system comes into contact with an allergen, such as pollen, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Allergens are typically harmless substances, but the immune system overreacts and begins to mount a defense. Antibodies bind to the allergen and transport it to white blood cells called mast cells, which destroy the allergen. But those mast cells also release histamine, a chemical that causes typical allergy symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing and watery eyes.
Because plants only produce pollen after a number of consecutive days of ideal temperatures, the colder than usual spring has delayed students’ allergies, Environmental Science Prof. Robert Davis said. Normally students begin coming to Student Health with allergy complaints in February, but most of the complaints this year came in March, Krause said.
But if carbon dioxide levels continue to increase and trap heat in the atmosphere, it could result in an earlier spring and earlier pollination — prompting allergy symptoms earlier in the season, Davis said.
Carbon dioxide increase in the atmosphere may not only affect the timing of pollination, but may also increase the amount of pollen a plant produces. A 2006 study published in “Environmental Health Perspectives” showed that increased carbon dioxide levels can cause an increase in the amount of pollen produced by ragweed, a common allergen-producing plant. An increase in pollen could intensify allergy symptoms or cause more people to develop allergies.
Since March 1, Krause said 311 students have come to Student Health seeking seasonal allergy treatment — which typically involves an over-the-counter drugs to act as antihistamines. There is also an immunotherapy shot available for those who have consulted an allergist and have strong reactions to allergens that are difficult to avoid.
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