Int J Biometeorol (2004) 49:37–47 DOI 10.1007/s00484-004-0208-4 ORIGINAL ARTICLE L. Makra · M. Juhµsz · E. Borsos · R. BØczi Meteorological variables connected with airborne ragweed pollen in Southern Hungary Received: 24 July 2003 / Accepted: 26 February 2004 / Published online: 22 April 2004 # ISB 2004 Abstract About 30% of the Hungarian population has some type of allergy, 65% of them have pollen sensitivity, and at least 60% of this pollen sensitivity is caused by ragweed. The short (or common) ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia = Ambrosia elatior) has the most aggressive pollen of all. Clinical investigations prove that its aller- genic pollen is the main reason for the most massive, most serious and most long-lasting pollinosis. The air in the Carpathian Basin is the most polluted with ragweed pol- len in Europe. The aim of the study is to analyse how ragweed pollen concentration is influenced by meteoro- logical elements in a medium-sized city, Szeged, South- ern Hungary. The data basis consists of daily ragweed pollen counts and averages of 11 meteorological param- eters for the 5-year daily data set, between 1997 and 2001. The study considers some of the ragweed pollen charac- teristics for Szeged. Application of the Makra test indi- cates the same period for the highest pollen concentration as that established by the main pollination period. After performing factor analysis for the daily ragweed pollen counts and the 11 meteorological variables examined, four factors were retained that explain 84.4% of the total variance of the original 12 variables. Assessment of the daily pollen number was performed by multiple regres- sion analysis and results based on deseasonalised and original data were compared. Keywords Pollen allergy · Ragweed pollen concentration · Makra test · Factor analysis · Regression analysis Introduction Pollen allergy Pollen allergy had become a widespread disease by the end of the 20th century. Nowadays, every 5th or 6th person, on average, suffers from this disease of the im- mune system in Europe. Pollinosis involves unpleasant symptoms and can become asthma. It has been proved that those who fall ill with pollen allergy can not con- centrate on their work, feel unwell and are frequently on sick leave. About 30% of the Hungarian population has some type of allergy, 65% of them have pollen sensitivity, and at least 60% of this pollen sensitivity is caused by ragweed. It is a shocking fact that the number of patients with registered allergic illnesses has doubled and the number of cases of allergic asthma has increased by a factor of four in Southern Hungary over the last 40 years. How- ever, we have to remember that the diagnosis of asthma has also developed significantly during this period. The aim of the study is to analyse the relation of rag- weed pollen concentration to meteorological elements in a medium-sized city: Szeged, Southern Hungary. The main plants causing pollen allergy in Europe are grasses (Poaceae), birch (Betula), mugwort (Artemisia) and, in Southern Europe, the olive-tree (Oleaceae). In the 1980s a new plant that spreads extremely aggressively joined the list. It appears in more and more countries, blooms for a long time (in some cases for 3 months) and it produces a great deal of pollen, which when breathed-in, rapidly produces characteristic symptoms of pollinosis (coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge and inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eyes and nose). The plant is the short (or common) ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia = Ambrosia elatior) and clinical investigations have demonstrated that its very allergenic pollen is the main reason for the most massive, most serious and most long- lasting pollinosis. Ambrosia was the name given to the delicious food eaten by the mythical Greek gods to make them live L. Makra ( ) ) · E. Borsos · R. BØczi Department of Climatology and Landscape Ecology, University of Szeged, H-6701 Szeged, P.O.B. 653, Hungary e-mail: makra@geo.u-szeged.hu Tel.: +36-62-544856 Fax: +36-62-544624 M. Juhµsz Department of Botany, University of Szeged, H-6701 Szeged, P.O.B. 657, Hungary