Aeroallergen Monitoring by the National Allergy Bureau: A Review of the Past and a Look Into the Future

Abstract

Monitoring aeroallergens has a long history within the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI). The Aeroallergen Network of the National Allergy Bureau (NAB) is comprised mainly of members of the AAAAI, whose objectives are to enhance the knowledge of aerobiology and its relationship with allergy, increase the number of certified stations, maintain standardization and quality of aerobiology data, improve the alert and forecast reporting system, and increase ties with other scientific entities inside and outside the United States. The public has a keen interest in pollen counts and pollen forecasts, as do many health professionals in the allergy community. In this review, we explore the past, present, and future of allergen monitoring with a focus on the methods used for sampling, the training of those doing the analysis, and emerging technologies in the field. While the development of automated samplers with machine intelligence offers great promise to fill the goal of a fully automated system, there is still progressed to be made regarding reliability and affordability.