Patterns in Google trends terms reporting of rhinitis in the alternaria mold spore season in Ukraine

Abstract

Mold allergy is a major trigger for the development of widespread respiratory disorders most notably allergic rhinitis. asthma, chronic sinusitis. A precise definition of the mold spore season onset is crucial for the confirmation of a mold allergy diagnosis and personalized treatment of patients with mold induced allergic rhinitis and asthma. In order to determine the precise onset of the mold spore season, innovative Web-based surveillance tools provided by Google Trends (GT) can be used. The most comprehensive approach is the development of a pan-European sentinel network, which combines all these strategies. This study aimed to examine the seasonality of GT queries in Ukraine with Alternaria pollen counts.