gms | German Medical Science

Within the family of Ambrosia (ragweed) the species Ambrosia artemisiifolia is known to have a high allergizing potential. Clinically impressing beneath the rhinoconjunctivitis is the high rate of bronchial asthma. This in Mid Europe in former times non-domestic plant is nowadays spreading in Germany by pollution of seeds and feeding stuffs and by climate changes.

To classify the allergological relevance of ragweed we tested ragweed pollen in the standard skin prick testing (SPT) between May and October 2007. In total, 35 out of 147 patients sensitized to pollen showed a reaction to ragweed in SPT. The serum of these patients was examined on the allergen profiles and cross allergies as well as the patients had to perform a nasal challenge with an extract containing ragweed pollen.

Relevant amounts of IgE antibodies were found in 71% of these patients. They had positive results in the nasal challenges. 86% showed sensitizations to grass and cereal pollen, 93% to tree pollen and 80% to weed pollen. In 27% a sensitization to profiling and in 7% to calcium binding protein was demonstrated.

Assuming slow plant spreading in Germany and high numbers of sensitizations up to now, ragweed has to be classified as an allergen of rising importance. Allergic complaints in late summer should be notified as possibly related to Ambrosia pollen. The high amount of further pollen allergies concludes high rates of cross allergies.