Summary 2005

2005 was a “grasses year” even if it was not an exceptional year. If at the beginning of January tree pollens seemed to be very abundant, allergic risk was frozen by a very bad weather from mid-January to mid-March with very low temperatures, even near coast areas. As soon as the heat came back, tree pollens became abundant but only for 4 weeks: cypress pollens in Mediterranean area, birch and oak pollens on the rest of the territory left their marks on allergic people. Ash pollens were less abundant than previous years.

From the end of April, on the South of the country, and from the end of May on the rest of the territory, grasses pollens arrived strongly provoking many symptoms (conjunctivitis, rhinitis and even asthma). Pellitory pollens bothered only allergic people in Mediterranean area and the Rhône valley.

For ragweed pollens, they were very abundant on Lyon area, the Dauphiné and near the Rhone valley from Lyon to Montélimar. On the other hand, if in 2004 a lot of ragweed pollens were exported in the South, it was not the case this year. We noticed peaks in the North and the West of Lyon area. Ain and Haute-Savoie were not controlled due to a lack of pollen traps but it should change in 2006. Ragweed monitoring must be a priority.

There were also some allergies due to alternaria moulds.