g16 Meadow foxtail

Allergens within Grass Pollens

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  • Latin name: Alopecurus pratensis
  • Family: Poaceae (Graminae)
  • Subfamily: Pooideae
  • Tribe: Agrostideae
  • Common names: Meadow Fox-tail
  • Source material: Pollen
A grass species producing pollen, which may induce hayfever, asthma and conjunctivitis in sensitised individuals.

Allergen Exposure

Geographical distribution
This plant is native to non-Mediterranean Europe and temperate Asia, and perhaps also to non-desert parts of North Africa. It is cultivated for forage in Australia, New Zealand and North America.
 
A long-lived, tufted perennial grass, with short rhizomes and short ascending stolons. It grows to over a metre in height. The leafblades, mostly basal, and rolled when young, are abundant, flat, dark-green, smooth and up to 30 cm long and 8 mm wide. At the top of the shoot, spikelets are packed into a cylindrical 3 to 8 cm-long loose or compact spike-like panicle narrowing to a fairly sharp point. The one-flowered spikelets are grayish but turn straw-coloured with age.
 
Meadow Foxtail is one of the first grasses to begin growth in the spring, and in mild climates it can grow throughout the winter season. In colder Northern Hemisphere climates it blooms from April to July. The flowers are hermaphrodite, having both male and female organs. The stamens are first yellow then become orange. It is not considered to be a major pollen-producer. Reproduction is through the abundant tiny seed.
 
Alopecurus pratensis may be distinguished from Phleum pratense by its more scabrous blade margins, absence of cilia on the collar and absence of notches on the ligule.
 
Environment
Meadow Foxtail grows in wet meadows and pastures and other marshy places; old orchards.
 
Allergens
Meadow Foxtail grass contains at least 24 antigens, of which 12 have been shown to bind IgE antibodies in sera from patients with well-established allergic rhinitis (1).
 
No allergens from this plant have yet been characterised.

Potential Cross-Reactivity

An extensive cross-reactivity among the different individual species of the genus could be expected, as well as to a certain degree among members of the family Poaceae, in particular in the subfamily Pooideae (Rye grass (g5), Canary grass (g71), Meadow grass (g8), Timothy (g6), Cocksfoot (g3), Meadow Fescue (g4), Velvet (g13), Redtop (g9), Meadow Foxtail (g16), Wild Rye grass (g70)) (2-3).  

Clinical Experience

IgE mediated reactions
Meadow Foxtail grass pollen may induce asthma, allergic rhinitis and allergic conjunctivitis.
 
In Norway, in 770 patients with seasonal and perennial nasal symptoms, pollens from Timothy, Meadow Foxtail, Meadow grass and Meadow Fescue were found to be very important causative factors (4).

Compiled by Dr Harris Steinman, harris@zingsolutions.com

References:

    1. Diener C, Skibbe K, Jager L. Identification of allergens in 5 grasses using crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis (CRIE). [German] Allerg Immunol (Leipz) 1984;30(1):14-22 
    2. Yman L. Botanical relations and immunological cross-reactions in pollen allergy. 2nd ed. Pharmacia Diagnostics AB. Uppsala. Sweden. 1982: ISBN 91-970475-09 
    3. Yman L. Pharmacia: Allergenic Plants. Systematics of common and rare allergens. Version 1.0. CD-ROM. Uppsala, Sweden: Pharmacia Diagnostics, 2000. 
    4. Holopainen E, Salo OP, Tarkiainen E, Malmberg H. The most important allergens in allergic rhinitis. Acta Otolaryngol Suppl 1979;360:16-8

2002



Further Reading