Allergic Respiratory Diseases in the Climate Change Context: Aerobiological Tools and Projections as Preventive Actions for Pollen-Induced Allergies

Climate change is a global phenomenon with various impacts on human health, in many cases aggravating the effects of pollen allergies. Several studies show the effects of human-induced temperature rise and changes in meteorological patterns on pollen production and dispersion, causing earlier flowering onset, extended pollen seasons, and increased pollen production. The repercussions on human health concern both allergic asthma and rhinosinusitis, whose symptoms can be worsened by extended exposure and impacts of extreme meteorological events, such as thunderstorm asthma. In this context, traditional aerobiological monitoring techniques are still valid as staple methods, but with a rising importance of new, automatic real-time sensors and atmospheric pollen forecasting systems, which can be important for early warning and prevention, to reduce and avoid exposure to allergenic pollen during peak days and hours. Omics techniques can also give important information about sensitization and response to allergens, granting a more comprehensive picture of the effects of exposure to allergens. In this paper, we carried out a literature review to discuss all these effects, with a focus on innovative tools and preventive measures. As a result, the application of an integrated and multifactorial approach emerges as fundamental in the management of pollen-induced allergies in the context of climate change.