Bangor University researchers are helping to identify the most allergenic types of grass pollen which may eventually help hay fever and asthma sufferers.
The Met Office is working with several universities, including Bangor, to identify which of the 150 grass pollens people are most allergic to, with more precise information about the types of grass pollens affecting them and when, so they can take appropriate action.
The research may also lead to solutions in management of hay fever and asthma. For example, this might include town planners and developers planting grass types that are less likely to affect the public.
Species Maps
Following on from a joint Met Office/Public Health England (PHE project), which produced species location maps of key allergenic plants for Cornwall, Devon and Somerset, further research has now expanded these maps for the whole of the UK.
The maps show the locations of key allergenic plants. They will be used by health researchers to study impacts of plants with allergenic pollen on hospital admissions for respiratory conditions, and also provide information to local authorities and healthcare practitioners as well as being a useful tool to assist self-management or treatment of allergy sufferers.
It‘s hoped that in the future these more detailed source maps can be used, alongside wind direction and precipitation patterns to provide more detailed and local warnings to sufferers, which pollen is impacting their area and in what concentrations.
