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A dangerous allergy can be acquired from the common ragweed that can grow in your backyard. Scientifically known allergies as ambrosia artemisiifolia It affects 13.5 million people across Europe, according to the study by Urs Schaffner, a CABI Delemont researcher based in Switzerland.
According to the BBC News report, serious allergies created by ragweed cost 7.4 billion euros or $ 8 billion to treat each year.
(Photo: Pixabay)
Watch out! Common ragweed may be growing in your backyard and causing severe allergies!
However, the study authors said that plant invasion can be controlled by a beetle that is not native to Europe.
The leaf beetle, also known as Ofelia comuna, Accidentally came to Europe in 2013. These leaf beetles can reduce common ragweed pollen by 82% by attacking the foliage of the plant, as different studies in Italy explain.
The ragweed also came from North America and is now invading 30 countries across Europe, including Iberia and the Balkans, the British Isles in the north, and Scandanavia. The scattered pollen from this invasive plant causes a wide range of symptoms, from sneezing to itchy eyes, which can aggravate conditions that can cause asthma and eczema.
Watch out! Common ragweed may be growing in your backyard causing severe allergy!
According to the BBC News report, Urs Schaffner quantified the economic benefits of controlling common ragweed using the leaf beetle.
(Photo: Pixabay)
Watch out! Common ragweed may be growing in your backyard and causing severe allergies!
“Our study provides evidence that the impacts of common ragweed on human health and the economy so far are largely underestimated, but that biological control by Ophraella communa it could mitigate these impacts in parts of Europe, “Schaffner said in the report.
According to the BBC, Schaffner and his colleagues identified the total seasonal ragweed pollen in Europe from 2004 to 2012, prior to the discovery of the leaf beetle, using data acquired from the European pollen monitoring program.
To have the correct number of patients suffering from severe allergies caused by common ragweed pollen, the researchers compared their assessment at the European level with detailed health care data from south-eastern France.
Schaffner and his team of researchers were able to determine the overall economic costs of medical care necessary to cure the symptoms and other effects of common ragweed.
On the other hand, they also discovered that the leaf beetle can control invasion and reduce the number of people with allergies from 13.5 million to approximately 11.2 million. This includes reducing healthcare costs from $ 8 billion to 6.4 billion euros or $ 6.9 billion.
“Right now, biological control of ragweed is already happening in Italy,” he said.
Urs Schaffner also clarified that if other countries want to use the Ophraella communa or the leaf beetle to control the invasion of ragweed, they would have to undergo a risk-benefit assessment and must be approved by national authorities so that they can use the exotic insect for biological control in their country.
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