YEW TREE POLLEN ALLERGY
Key Allergens
Yew trees are in the Taxaceae family of plants, which includes dozens of species of yew trees.
There are male and female yew trees, male yew trees are highly allergenic and female yew trees are not.
Yew trees contain taxanes, which are alkaloids with anti-cancer properties.
The pollen season for yew trees is January to April peaking in March.
Associated Syndromes
An allergy to yew tree pollen is sometimes associated with seasonal allergic rhinitis (hayfever).
A yew tree pollen allergy is also linked to asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and atopic dermatitis.
Cross Reactivity
There is currently no cross reactivity associated with yew tree pollen.
Resources
Websites
Worcester Pollen Forecast
Allergy UK - Managing your asthma and your allergic rhinitis throughout the seasons
Woodland Trust (UK) - Yew
Pollen Library - Yew Taxus
Science Direct - Yew Trees
Sciene Direct - Taxanes
Wild Food UK - Yew Tree
AAFA - Pollen Allergy in the US
Articles and Journals
Prevalence of sensitization to molecular food allergens in Europe: A systematic review, 2022
Atopy, allergen sensitization and development of hypersensitivity reactions to paclitaxel, 2022
Hypersensitivity Reactions to Platinum Agents and Taxanes, 2021
The intrinsic fluorescence spectra of selected pollen and fungal spores, 2011
Taxanes in Taxus baccata Pollen: Cardiotoxicity and/or Allergenicity? 2002
Taxus cuspidata (Japanese yew) pollen nasal allergy, 2001
Let me know if you found any of these interesting or useful.
If you spot an article or research that you think is interesting you can message me or tag me on Facebook or Twitter - links at the bottom of the page.