Press Release

For Immediate Release
Contact: Tom Capezzuto
(973) 972-7273
E-mail:capezzta@umdnj.edu

At UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School
Heavy Rains of Spring, Summer Are Expected to Accelerate Ragweed Growth and Aggravate Allergy Sufferers This Fall

The record rainfall this past spring and most of this summer has set the stage for one of the heaviest ragweed seasons ever, according to an allergist at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ).

Any day now, bumper crops of ragweed are expected to blossom, wreaking havoc on hay fever sufferers, said Dr. Leonard Bielory, director of the Asthma and Allergy Research Center at the UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School in Newark.

"The heavy rainfall in June set the stage for a healthy growing season for these leafy plants, which grow to four-to-seven feet tall. Unless an unexpected severe drought occurs, the ragweed pollen season will most likely register in the top five of our recordings since the late 1980's," he said.

Dr. Bielory provided the following tips for minimizing exposure to ragweed pollen:

• Don't exercise outdoors during the day when pollen levels from ragweed are highest.
• Cut the grass, trim the bushes and do other yard work in early evening hours.
• Use air conditioning at home and in the car.
• Avoid ragweed "cross-reactors--"such as honeydew melon, cantaloupe and bananas-because they are "cousins" to ragweed and may contribute to sneezing, coughing, congestion, running nose, headache, irritated eyes and itchy palate.
• Take a closer look at herbal products before using them because many of them also cross react, such as chamomile, an herb found in some teas and cosmetics.

"Individuals who experience hay fever also should shower before going to bed at night to avoid bringing the pollen into bed," he said, "and people with pets should wipe their fur clean when letting them inside the home in the evening."

To arrange an interview on the ragweed season with Dr. Bielory, call Tom Capezzuto, UMDNJ News Service, at (973) 972-7273. For information regarding daily pollen counts, call UMDNJ's pollen count hotline at (973) 972-6518.

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