B.Sangidorj: It’s very important to see a doctor if you have any symptoms of allergy

Here’s an interview with Director of the Allergology Laboratory in the National Dermatology Center, doctor of Biology, and professor B.Sangidorj.

- Please tell us more about allergies and pollen.

- In recent years, the number of cases of allergies has increased rapidly because of many reasons among Mongolians. There are also very many cases of seasonal allergy. More and more people go to the hospital from spring to fall. This starts from the plants’ blooming period and continues until they wither. Every plant has different disease-inciting properties. Many countries have studied allergy-causing plants. Mongolia started to do research about this kind of plants in 1980. Because of Ulaanbaatar’s rising population, its citizens tend to suffer more from pollen allergy. There are many species of plants which trigger this kind of allergy. Doctors and researchers have determined that trees, segmented grasses, and weeds can cause pollen allergy. According to our research, a total of 200 species of plants, which are equivalent to 7.2 percent of Mongolian flora, are allergy-causing. About 40 species of them have a special characteristic that trigger pollen allergy. There are very few trees and grasses with pollen allergen in the Ulaanbaatar area. But it has also been determined that weeds are the leading cause of allergies in the capital. A hogweed includes wormwood and orache, and their pollen mostly causes allergy.

- What is pollen allergy exactly? Is this allergy caused by smelling hogweeds?

- During a plant’s blooming or blossoming period, pollen from its flowers’ pistil floats in the air. In the case of breathing this air longer, the person will get respiratory allergy or dermal allergy. The main cause of pollen allergy is pollen-rich air. Plants of the wormwood species have a lot of pollen. Therefore, this plant is the main cause of pollen allergy.

- How many people have pollen allergy in Ulaanbaatar compared with those last year?

- The number of people with this type of allergy has relatively increased. This summer, most people who came to our hospital have pollen allergy. Also, there are many children with this allergy. Ulaanbaatar residents particularly suffer from this allergy. Our streets are full of hogweeds including plants of the wormwood and orache species. When these plants are in bloom, it is a natural process but it fills the air with too much pollen.

- Are there any studies about people with pollen allergy?

- Our laboratory has been doing research since 2004. Typically, this kind of research has been done for over 30 years since 1980 in Mongolia. As a result of this, a program which is concerned with allergy-causing plant species in the country, causes of allergy, diagnosis, and manufacturing a vaccine against this allergy, is being implemented. Now, we can diagnose which plant causes allergy. The result of the treatment depends on doctors and researchers. We’re introducing a treatment method of obtaining the allergy vaccine from the plant itself which causes the allergy.

- How effective is this vaccine?

- According to world allergology doctors, the most effective way to treat pollen allergy is with vaccination. This vaccine is more suitable and is the proper treatment for people with pollen allergy. Therefore, we need to find the source that triggers the allergy and produce the vaccine from the pollen of this plant.

- It is said that citizens of Ulaanbaatar tend to suffer more from pollen allergy. What should we do to not get pollen allergy? And how do we prevent an allergic disease?

- Every disease is different from each other. Pollen allergy is a seasonal and non-infectious disease. The cause of this disease is always obvious. Hence, diagnosis and treatment are obvious, too. It’s possible to prevent pollen allergy. Many measures including removing weeds and limiting their growth and spread are being taken. This year, the government discussed this issue and the Minister of Environment and Green Development gave specific orders to the governors of aimags. Within the scope of this directive, the Ulaanbaatar City Mayor’s Office and Department of Environment and Green Development are organizing a program to fight wormwood and orache plants.

- I think that the weeding out of hogweeds and wormwood in Ulaanbaatar’s streets and ger districts is not being done by the government. It seems that citizens do it with their own initiatives. It is possible not to get an allergy if organizations and people remove hogweeds which grow in their immediate environment. Is it true that people get pollen allergy because of their laziness?

- Yes, indeed. Everyone should try to get rid of hogweeds. People usually confuse symptoms of allergy with cold symptoms. I previously said that the cause of this allergy is very obvious. We should limit the growth and spread of allergy-causing plants. We should plant other grasses in place of them. There are too many hogweeds in ger districts.

- I heard that wormwood and orache are useful for something. Is it true that it is not necessary to get rid of them?

- People hate weeds such as wormwood and orache. However, those plants are still beneficial. Over 70 percent of the world population lives in urban areas. It has been known that the area with plants in cities is decreasing. But the growth and outspread of weeds naturally increase in urban places where there is not much human activity. A healthy place for city residents is in a green area such as a park. People are trying to increase this green space. So weeds aren’t a useless thing as people might think. Weeds can actually be used for everyone’s benefit. It is important that these plants do not blossom so their pollen does not float into the air. The wormwood and orache are both advantageous plants. Wormwood can be used as a raw material for medicine. Beneficial chemical substances are produced from wormwood. And they also produce oxygen. But it becomes harmful when it has grown much.

- How do you weed out wormwoods?

- We should mow weeds from late June to late August. After removing them, we should put in their place perennial plants. We should keep on mowing hogweeds for about four years. But picking them soon is not the right way. We should only pick weeds in a place with too much garbage. It is better to do so during the plant’s blooming period.

- Why do people get pollen allergy?

- People always confuse pollen allergy with having a cold. That’s why their symptoms are exacerbated. It is possible not to get this disease. It’s very easy actually. It only depends on people’s consciousness. We have to live in a city that is free of wormwood. People should support and help others to organize a campaign for this purpose. The work should be done for the sake of our children and their children’s health. I think the district and khoroo authorities should organize campaigns which intend to effectively prevent pollen allergy.

- How many percent of patients in the National Dermatology Center have pollen allergy? What is the patient-doctor ratio?

- Summer is a season of allergy. During this time, a lot of people head to the center. Normally, one doctor should examine 30 patients, but they examine over 90 patients a day. The number of children with pollen allergy has grown because allergic diseases can be inherited from parents. There are rising cases of allergic diseases because of more and more areas infested with weeds in Ulaanbaatar, especially in ger districts. It has been known that a lot of weeds grow in Chingeltei, Bayanzurkh, Emeelt, Songinokhairkhan, Emeelt, and Denjyn Myanga.

- What is your opinion on the “Ulaanbaatar Free of Wormwood” campaign?

- This program has two sides. Its advantages are obvious. A disadvantage, however, is desertification. There are many countries where you can’t even find the seed of a wormwood plant. And there are Indian people who use plants of the orache species as food. It is right to weed out plants which cause pollen allergy in order to prevent allergic diseases. On the other hand, these plants can guard against desertification.

- What are the related expenses for a person with pollen allergy?

It is not yet expensive here in Mongolia. But highly developed countries spend a significant part of their budget for the treatment of this disease. For one patient in some countries, he or she spends 300 to 500 USD on vaccination and 2,000 USD for treatment. It’s a dangerous illness. I want to say that it’s very important to see a doctor if you have any symptoms of allergy. But it’s not an infectious disease.

Short URL: http://ubpost.mongolnews.mn/?p=5428

Share this post