American beech Pollen
Summary
American beech (Fagus grandifolia), a native tree from North America, is a member of the Fagaceae family. It is a slow-growing, shade-tolerant, deciduous tree with a pollination period ranging between April to May in North America and Europe. This tree is prevalent in regions like Europe, Asia, and Africa. The wood of this tree is utilized for making floors, furniture, carton boxes, and handles. Beech pollen allergy often manifests respiratory symptoms like allergic rhinitis and asthma. Fag s 1 has been identified and listed by WHO/IUIS as a potential allergen from European beech (Fagus sylvatica), a species from the same genus. Studies have exhibited IgE cross-reactivity of beech pollen with birch, oak, and plane tree pollen.
Epidemiology
Worldwide distribution
Inhaled allergen is considered one of the primary factors responsible for manifesting allergic respiratory diseases. Exposure to tree pollens such as beech may result in allergic rhinitis and sometimes asthma in sensitized individuals. Beech sensitivity has been reported mostly in countries like the US, Canada, Korea, and Turkey.
An allergen sensitivity study was conducted in Istanbul on 2822 children (aged 2-18 years) diagnosed with allergic rhinitis. 1.6% (46/2822) of children reported positive allergy skin tests to beech allergen.
A study was performed on 371 allergic patients in New York City to analyze the correlation between the hypersensitivity pattern and tree pollen in the atmosphere. Hypersensitivity to beech pollen was reported in 29.6% of these patients. As per the radioallergosorbent test (RAST) results, oak, beech, and birch were reported to have a significant association. Thus, indicating similar cross-reactive epitopes between birch, oak, and beech pollens from the same order Fagles.
Route Of Exposure
Main
The main route of exposure for airborne beech pollen is through inhalation (airway).
Secondary
After exposure of the patient’s skin to beech dust, contact dermatitis was observed in one case study.
Clinical Relevance
Exposure to tree pollens such as beech may induce reactions like allergic rhinitis and asthma among allergic individuals. The symptoms of allergic rhinitis included sneezing, watery rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, and itchy tongue palate. These allergic rhinitis-mediated complications can further result in sleep deprivation, learning disability, diminished quality of life, and cognitive impairment in allergic patients.
Allergic rhinitis
A study was conducted in the US to know the prevalence of allergen sensitivity towards various aeroallergens in patients with allergic rhinitis. In this study, a skin prick test (SPT) was performed with 48 airborne allergens in 100 patients with allergic rhinitis. All (n = 100) patients showed positive SPT to single or multiple aeroallergens. Among these, a piece of graphical information represented positive SPT reactivity to beech tree and leaf antigen in around 16% - 17% of the patients.
Asthma
A comparative aeroallergen study was conducted on 421 patients with asthma or allergic rhinitis in Busan, Korea. The results showed a 12.9% sensitization rate to beech pollen in children of age group ≤ 12 years and 12.7% in adults of age group 31-64 years.
In another study conducted on woodworkers from a furniture factory, the results revealed bronchial hyperresponsiveness and sore throat in the workers due to exposure to oak and beech wood dust.
Contact Dermatitis
Occupational contact allergy from beech wood has been reported in a non-atopic carpenter aged 49-years after exposure to beech wood dust. The patient presented acute oedematous dermatitis symptoms on his exposed skin parts like eyelids, neck, and upper chest area. The patients also tested positive for multiple patch tests for beech dust.
Prevention And Therapy
Prevention strategies
Avoidance
One of the main measures to be taken is to cut down the pollen amount in the respiratory system. During pollen season, allergic patients are suggested to stay indoors or wear a facemask outdoors to keep away the pollen allergens. In worsening conditions, patients may be advised to move to live in a non-pollen area.
Cross-Reactivity
A high degree of cross-reactivity between species of the family Fagaceae has been demonstrated. Studies have shown IgE cross-reactivity between beech pollen with tree pollens from the same order Fagales such as birch and oak.
Additionally, the study revealed a significant positive correlation between beech and plane tree pollen (p<0.01). According to another study, beech and oak pollen allergy might be manifested by cross-sensitization to grass pollen allergens.
References
- Weber R. On the cover. American beech. Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology : official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology. 2004;92 5:A-6.
- Carpenter RD, editor American beech (Fagus grandifolia)1974.
- USDHHU. TOXICOLOGICAL PROFILE FORWOOD CREOSOTE, COAL TAR CREOSOTE, COAL TAR, COAL TAR PITCH, AND COAL TAR PITCH VOLATILES. US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. 2002.
- Carl H. Tubbs DRH. American Beech. In: USDA, editor. 2004. p. 653-67.
- CABI. Invasive Species Compendium 2019 [18-12-2020]. Available from: https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/23925.
- WHO/IUIS. Beech (Fagus sylvatica) 2019 [18-12-2020]. Available from: http://www.allergen.org/viewallergen.php?aid=696.
- Gil-Soon Choi, Hee-Kyoo Kim,,Jae-Hwan Kwon. Comparison of inhalant allergen sensitization in children, adolescents and adults with asthma and allergic rhinitis. World Allergy Organization Journal. 2020;13:100137.
- Basak P, Arayata R, Brensilver J. Prevalence of specific aeroallergen sensitivity on skin prick test in patients with allergic rhinitis in Westchester County. The Internet Journal of Dermatology. 2007;6:2.
- Kosisky SE, Marks MS, Nelson MR. Pollen aeroallergens in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area: a 10-year volumetric survey (1998-2007). Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. 2010;104(3):223-35.
- Özçeker D, Kardelen A, Sapmaz S, Uysal O, Guler N, Tamay Z. Allergy Skin Tests in Inner-City Children with Allergic Rhinitis Living in Istanbul. European Archives of Medical Research. 2018;34.
- Lin RY, Clauss AE, Bennett ES. Hypersensitivity to common tree pollens in New York City patients. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2002;23(4):253-8.
- Egger C, Focke M, Bircher AJ, Scherer K, Mothes-Luksch N, Horak F, et al. The allergen profile of beech and oak pollen. Clin Exp Allergy. 2008;38(10):1688-96.
- Türe C, Böcük H. Analysis of airborne pollen grains in Bilecik, Turkey. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 2009;151(1):27-35.
- Räsänen L, Jolanki R, Estlander T, Kanerva L. Occupational contact allergy from beechwood. Contact Dermatitis. 1998;38(1):55.
- Bohadana AB, Massin N, Wild P, Toamain J-P, Engel S, Goutet P. Symptoms, airway responsiveness, and exposure to dust in beech and oak wood workers. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2000;57(4):268.
- Xie Z-J, Guan K, Yin J. Advances in the clinical and mechanism research of pollen induced seasonal allergic Asthma. American journal of clinical and experimental immunology. 2019;8(1):1.
- Heath MD, Collis J, Batten T, Hutchings JW, Swan N, Skinner MA. Molecular, proteomic and immunological parameters of allergens provide inclusion criteria for new candidates within established grass and tree homologous groups. World Allergy Organization Journal. 2015;8(1):1-11.
- Kleine-Tebbe J, Ballmer-Weber B, Breiteneder H, Vieths S. Bet v 1 and its homologs: triggers of tree-pollen allergy and birch pollen-associated cross-reactions. Molecular Allergy Diagnostics: Springer; 2017. p. 21-42.
- Eriksson NE, Wihl J-Å, Arrendal H, Strandhede S-O. Tree pollen allergy. Allergy. 1987;42(3):205-14.