Plane tree hairs to blame for suffering in Eastern Suburbs

Every other person in the Eastern Suburbs appears to be sneezing and spluttering at the moment. However, is has nothing to do with hay fever one expert told the Wentworth Courier.

Every other person appears to be suffering from hay fever like symptoms in the Eastern Suburbs at the moment.

• Building work to start on Sydney Modern
• Dave Sharma set to move to Paddington

Every other person in the Eastern Suburbs appears to be sneezing and spluttering at the moment.

Most put it down to hay fever and as usual our beautiful plane trees are copping the blame.

One of Australia’s leading authorities on allergies told the Wentworth Courier that while plane trees are the prime suspect it is not hay fever we’re suffering from.

Professor Connie Katelaris, from the University of Western Sydney, has studied the London plane tree, particularly in and around Kings Cross.

“Our research has found that plane trees cause minor problems compared to grass pollen when it comes to hay fever,” she said.

The leaf hairs from the plane trees are to blame for our suffering. Picture: Jay Town

“We carried out tests on people with hay fever. Around 20 per cent showed sensitivity to the plane trees whereas 60 to 65 per cent showed sensitivity to grass pollen.”

Prof Katelaris also said plane trees only typically pollinate between August and October whereas grass pollens are around right through to December.

But hay fever may be something of a red herring when it comes to our recent suffering.

Instead tiny fibres or leaf hairs from the plane trees are to blame.

“They’re called trichomes,” she said. “When you look at them under a microscope they look like those little things on barbed wire. They are three pronged, nasty things.

Professor Connie Katelaris is an expert on plane trees. (AAP Image / Angelo Velardo)

“If you take a leaf from a plane tree you can feel that they are almost furry.

“They are circulated by the wind and they can cause real problems.”

She said many people at this time of year think they are suffering from hay fever when it is in fact these trichomes.

“It is nothing to do with pollen and allergies. It is the leaf hairs, they are irritants.

The barbed wire type trichomes under the microscope. Picture: Professor Connie Katelaris

“For people out cycling or jogging they can feel like they are having problems breathing and they may start rubbing their eyes.

“It can cause quite bad conjunctivitis.”

Tim Petersen from Potts Point spoke to us back in 2012 after noticing he was coughing and sneezing when near the plane trees.

The strong winds of recent days has only exacerbated the situation, leaving Eastern Suburbs residents sneezing, spluttering and rubbing their eyes.

“Stay inside,” Prof Katelaris advised for these suffering. “And when you get inside wash your eyes out.”

IN OTHER NEWS