Vienna- Global warming may be the cause of fast-spreading allergies throughout Europe, an international dermatology congress was told in Vienna Friday. Allergy specialist Johannes Ring from the Munich Technical University told a press conference that allergies today affected every third European, the Austria Press Agency reported.
Pollen-spreading trees were in bloom longer owing to the climate change, adding to the number of allergies, and an increasing number of foreign plants were moving into Europe, causing new allergies.
Often hay fever, asthma or allergic eczemas were interconnected with skin diseases, Ring said. "Most allergies start with skin problems, even food allergies."
In severe cases - for example heavy asthma attacks or allergic reactions to insect bites - an allergy could be fatal.
Generally speaking children were more affected, but the number of adults suffering from allergies was on the rise as well.
Every third child suffers from at least one allergy, 30 to 50 per cent will additionally develop asthma in the future.
Experts are meeting in Vienna from May 16 to 20 for the annual congress of the European Academy for Dermatology and Venereology, Europe's largest gathering of of dermatology experts.
