Experts say the jab would be the ‘holy grail’ of vaccines due to its ability to protect against multiple allergies, making it cost effective, easy to manufacture and administer. The scientists behind the pioneering vaccine from Cytos Biotechnology found that a course of the vaccine was almost as good as steroids at keeping asthma under control.

 In recent trials conducted 63 asthmatics were given a course of the dummy drug for two to three months, asthma attacks and symptoms were cut by a third, they also found that one injection a week, for six weeks, cut reactions to house dust mites, runny noses and weepy eyes, by nearly 39%. Experts believe the jab in future could also have the potential to help people with allergies to shellfish and peanuts.

The vaccine which is formed of synthetic DNA similar to those found in the bug that causes tuberculosis is known as CYT003-QbG10, it tricks the body into thinking it is under attack from a dangerous bug, prompting a multi-pronged response.

A spokesman for Allergy UK said: ‘It does sound a very promising treatment, giving hope for those with severe asthma or allergy symptoms for whom the usual treatments aren’t enough, but there is still a long way to go before it will be available.

The Hay Fever Health Report says that the rise will be fuelled by air pollution in urban areas which exacerbates the symptoms of sneezing, runny nose and eyes triggered by pollen. Professor Jean Emberlin the report’s author said: “As the urban population rises over the next 20 years, we can expect to see the number of hay fever sufferers double, if not more.”

She also stated:” Hay fever is the type of thing that people don’t take seriously until they suffer with it. It has a lot of economic implications. Individuals have to go out and buy medication or take time off to see their doctor. People only work at roughly 65 per cent productivity and if they are really rough, they will take a day off.”

Look in at areas that will be most affected the report forecasts the biggest rises in London and Birmingham, with 45 per cent of the cities’ population affected, up from the current 25 per cent. People who live in coastal areas and Scotland will be better off, with 39 per cent expected to suffer.

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Picture courtesy of Per Ola Wiberg ~ Powi

Some people get only mild systems where as some people find it hard to cope with day to day life with their hayfever.

Below is a email that we have recieved about a Hayfever sufferer

I myself suffer really bad with sneezing fits which can just be the odd 1 sneeze to up to 10 in a space of minutes.  I also get a runny and blocked nose which you might not think is to bad, but in turn for blowing your nose you often get sore and dried skin around your nostrils and this is another painful problem.  Itchy eyes also hit me hard although i have found that wearing glasses does help.

You can get nasal sprays and hayfever anti histamines from your doctor, which some people find cures or ease’s their hayfever. 

In all honesty none of these have worked for me so for the past 3 years I have been having a hayfever injection called Kenalog or its full name Kenalog intra-articular/intramuscular injection (triamcinolone). For the past 2 years this has been injected directly into my arm and it pretty much stopped my hayfever, but this year it’s a different scenario as it was injected into my bum by my local GP over the Nurse who has done it for the last 2 years, and it really hasn’t worked. I have itchy eyes, sore nose and can’t stop sneezing.

 I pretty much went to my GP within a week of the same period that I went last year so the only thing that’s changed is where I was injected so I’d recommend to have it injected into your arm even though it does ache for a few days after.
Having this steroid injection for hayfever works by lowering your immune system so it doesn’t get as bothered by all the extra pollen floating about.  This therefore leaves me at a higher risk to catch other infections.