Climate change has been cited as exacerbating the surge in cases of hay fever, and the amount of pollen in the air - one of the most prominent triggers of hay fever - is set to increase.
Dr Michael Levin, an allergy consultant at Pharma Dynamics, a pharmaceutical company, said: "Hay fever may become a problem for nearly half of all South Africans by 2050 as a result of climate change.
"Plants require carbon for pollen production. As greenhouse gas levels increase, higher levels of carbon dioxide (CO²) are available in the atmosphere, thus increasing pollination," explained aerobiologist Dilys Berman.
Environmental consultant Crispian Olver said climate change inextricably affects the time at which plants pollinate, and this will lead to a change in "seasonal variation of allergies".
Olver said: "The recent outbreak of hay fever in Johannesburg is due to the coincidence of the spring pollination burst and the persistence of the inversion layer associated with the Johannesburg winter climate, which concentrates pollution levels."
This creates a situation in which allergens and pollutants are combined, but they are normally cleared by the first rains in Johannesburg, said Olver.
"It is a regular annual occurrence, but it does seem to be much worse this season."
There is little prospect of mitigating the impact of climate change and its effect on increased levels of hay fever.
Berman suggested that pollen levels in our cities should be monitored on a regular basis, especially in Johannesburg.
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