January?19, 2026, 14:00?CET

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with

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Dr. Nicolas Bruffaerts

Responsible for Aerobiology unit at Sciensano (Belgian public health Institute) and in charge of the national aerobiology surveillance network

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Online via Zoom
Link and password upon request
Please write an e-mail to:?seminar.umweltmedizin@med.uni-augsburg.de

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Title:

Pollen seasons under climate pressure in Belgium: trends, environmental drivers, and implications for allergy risk assessment

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Abstract:

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In Belgium, long-term observations from the AirAllergy network have been used to show that pollen seasons are being altered by climate change, with earlier onsets and higher seasonal intensities increasingly observed for several allergenic taxa. Allergy prevalence in the population has risen accordingly, reinforcing the need for reliable exposure indicators. Since the installation of a first automatic monitor in Brussels, substantial efforts have been devoted to enhancing the real-time detection of pollen and fungal spores by validating continuous measurements against the standard method and by generating high-quality reference datasets for machine-learning classification. Prevention efforts are also being supported by the SILAM model-based forecast system developed by the Royal Meteorological Institute, through which high-risk pollen episodes can be anticipated. Together, these advances illustrate how integrated monitoring, modelling, and technological innovation are enabling a more responsive and climate-aware approach to managing allergy risks in Belgium.

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