Risk assessment of outdoor airborne biological allergens in India: A review

Abstract

Airborne biological allergens trigger an allergic response required for the development of atopic disease. Biological allergens are released into the air by wind, rain and active discharge mechanisms. In this review article an attempt has been made to evaluate the published literature on prevalence and types of air borne allergens in India. Important pollen allergens reported from India were: Prosopis juliflora, Morus alba, Alnus nitida, Quercus incona, Cedrus deodara, Argemone mexicana, Amaranthus spinosus, Parthenium hysterophorus, Cassia and members of Poaceae. Similarly Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus spp., Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium cladosporoides, mucedo, Fusarium solanii, Curvularia lunata, Neurospora sitophila fungal allergens were reported as clinically important allergens. The incidence of allergy from pollens and fungal allergens had been reported from Northern region of India as compared to other regions.