ISLAMABAD: Women are more affected than men due to allergy caused by pollen buds of paper mulberry trees proliferated in the Federal Capital.
Professor Dr Mohammad Ishaq Khan, in a study to evaluate the allergic threats imposed by paper mulberry, claims to find that 60 per cent of the total patients in the age cohort of 30 to 70 years affected due to pollen increase were women.
Talking to APP, Prof Ishaq Khan said his study was aimed at analyzing the health risks caused by the paper mulberry pollens to the residents of the capital.
He said the mean age of patients was 48.82 ± 10.14 with 60.7 per cent female gender predominating the overall sample of allergy sensitive individuals.
“As per systemic complications urticaria rash was seen in 30 patients (21.4 per cent), chest tightness in 35 patients (25 per cent), difficulty in breathing/ Dyspnea in 45 patients (32.1 per cent), abdominal cramping in 13 patients (9.28 per cent) and high-grade fever in 17 patients (12.1 per cent) patients,” he added.
As per musculoskeletal complications, fatigue was reported in 43 patients (30.7 per cent), restlessness in 52 patients (37.2percent) and muscular cramps in 45 patients (32.1percent) patients out of the total sample of 140 patients. Positive skin test to mulberry extract was seen in 45 patients and negative skin test was seen in 95 patients.
“It is concluded that paper mulberry serves to be a huge threat of allergic respiratory disorders in the residents of the federal capital,” Dr Ishaq noted.
“Paper mulberry’s (PM) pollen season is usually from March to April, but it’s not uncommon for the pollen to start lingering around February. That’s why it’s important to start getting ready for the allergy season,” he underscored.
Now it can be seen in Islamabad with several torrential streams when the soil is moist, paper mulberry seedlings can be easily pulled by hand, especially, he said.
To a question, he said the abundant amount of pollen that can come from one mulberry tree, combined with the windy, dry weather of Islamabad creates an allergy storm.
“From the past few decades, the overall ratio of pollen-induced respiratory allergies have been increased in the federal capital as it is being observed all over the world. Unfortunately, no effective steps have been taken by the authoritative bodies for the eradication of this dangerous plant,” Dr Ishaq mentioned.
