Indoor plants trigger allergies

Indoor plants could be the source of many allergens and may add to the misery of those who are allergic. Researchers from the Free University of Brussels found that symptoms of up to 20 percent of people with allergic rhinitis, which includes runny nose and sneezing, may be due to exposure to these plants. It's estimated that up to 40 percent of people in the Western world suffer from allergic rhinitis. A 1985 study suggested that the weeping fig tree, a type of ficus tree that exudes latex, could be a source of inhaled allergens. Decorative plants are becoming increasingly common in public spaces, workplaces and homes. The researchers tested 59 allergic rhinitis sufferers and a control group of 15 healthy individuals for sensitisation to ficus, yucca, ivy, palm tree and other common ornamental plants using a skin prick test. Seventy-eight percent of the allergic rhinitis patients were sensitised to at least one of the plants. No one in the control group was sensitised to the test plants. Sensitisation doesn't necessarily mean a person's allergic symptoms are due to a particular substance, adding that a person must then see if symptoms disappear if exposure to the substance stops. For two patients in the study who were allergic to ficus, removing the plant from their environment stopped their symptoms completely. Makers of allergy testing products should begin producing tests for identifying sensitisation to common houseplants such as ficus.