Air Pollution and Oxidative Stress in Allergic Airway Diseases

With 30–40 % of the world’s population suffering from allergic diseases and with the increasing trends of this noncommunicable disease, especially in children in both the developed and developing, allergic diseases comprise a global public health issue. The increase in prevalence of allergic diseases contributes to reduced quality of life of the patients and increased socioeconomic costs. Several factors contribute to this rise in prevalence of allergic diseases including less exposure to infections in early life, change in lifestyles, urbanization, environmental pollution, climate change, and reduced biodiversity. Epidemiological and toxicology studies have demonstrated that air pollution-induced oxidative stress is increased in allergic airway diseases like asthma, and this can be a critical contributor to asthma development and can initiate various intracellular signaling pathways that lead to a break in immune tolerance and exaggerated allergic inflammation. Controlling environmental trigger factors, air pollution, and subsequent oxidative stress is critical for effectively managing and reducing the burden of allergic airway diseases.