Osong Public Health Res Perspect.  2013 Jun;4(3):140-145. 10.1016/j.phrp.2013.04.009.

Impacts of Heavy Rain and Typhoon on Allergic Disease

• Park KJ
• Moon JY
• Ha JS
• Kim SD
• Pyun BY
• Min TK
• Park YH

• KMID: 2518075
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.phrp.2013.04.009

Abstract

Objectives
Allergic disease may be increased by climate change. Recent reports have shown that typhoon and heavy rain increase allergic disease locally by concentration of airborne allergens of pollen, ozone, and fungus, which are causes of allergic disease. The objective of this study was to determine whether typhoon and heavy rain increase allergic disease in Korea.
Methods
This study included allergic disease patients of the area declared as a special disaster zone due to storms and heavy rains from 2003 to 2009. The study used information from the Korea Meteorological Administration, and from the National Health Insurance Service for allergic diseases (asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis).
Results
During a storm period, the numbers of allergy rhinitis and atopic dermatitis outpatients increased [rate ratio (RR) = 1.191; range, 1.150–1.232] on the sixth lag day. However, the number of asthma outpatients decreased (RR = 0.900; range, 0.862–0.937) on the sixth lag day after a disaster period. During a storm period, the numbers of allergic rhinitis outpatients (RR = 1.075; range, 1.018–1.132) and atopy outpatients increased (RR = 1.134; range, 1.113–1.155) on the seventh lag day. However, the number of asthma outpatients decreased to RR value of 0.968 (range, 0.902–1.035) on the fifth lag day.
Conclusion
This study suggests that typhoon and heavy rain increase allergic disease apart from asthma. More study is needed to explain the decrease in asthma.

Keyword

allergy; climate change; heavy rain; typhoon