Birch Tree
Allergy Facts, Symptoms, and Treatment

Noted for their varicolored and white bark that typically peels off horizontally in thin sheets, birch trees are short-lived ornamental and timber trees found in cool regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Hardy, quick growing, and relatively immune to disease and insect attack, birch trees were among the first trees to become established after the glaciers receded.¹ Annual pollen counts may vary from year to year by a factor of 400 percent.² Birch trees are wind pollinated, and pollen levels are determined by the weather, diversity of local flora, and specific rhythms of pollination of particular taxa, or groups.^2,3

Are there other allergens I could be sensitized to?*

Many patients with birch tree allergy can experience symptoms when exposed to other allergens such as tree, weed, or grass pollens, making it difficult to determine which pollen is causing the symptoms, especially when pollen seasons are overlapping. This is called cross-reactivity and occurs when your body's immune system identifies the proteins, or components, in different substances as being structurally similar or biologically related, thus triggering a response. Other respiratory allergens that may cause reactions associated with birch pollen allergy include grass pollen and alder, hazel, beech, and oak pollen.⁷

If you experience an itchy mouth or throat after eating fresh fruit or raw vegetables, you may suffer from Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS), sometimes called Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome (PFAS). This condition is caused by your immune system's reaction to similar proteins, or components, found in different allergens. It is quite common, with up to 25 percent of children with allergic rhinitis (i.e., hay fever) also suffering from OAS.⁶ Common plant foods involved in OAS for birch include fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes, such as apple, cherry, peach, hazel nut, peanut, carrot, celery, soy, strawberry, and many more.⁷

Knowing the proteins, or components, within each allergen that are triggering your symptoms can help guide your management plan. With that in mind, and based on your symptom history, your healthcare provider may suggest something called a specific IgE component test, which can help reveal other pollens and foods you may react to. Results from this test can also help your healthcare provider decide if allergen immunotherapy may reduce your symptoms.⁷

Already have your specific IgE component test results?

Your component test results will include the name of the components (a series of letters and numbers). Your healthcare provider will likely review the results with you, but here you'll find an at-a-glance breakdown you can use as a reference. Simply match the component names to the list below to see what they mean in terms of symptom management.

rBet v 1

• Indicates symptoms are caused by birch pollen.⁷
• Potential symptoms also by alder, hazel, beech, or oak pollen.⁷
• If there is a clinical history of PFAS (to apple, cherry, hazelnut, etc.), birch pollen allergy may be the cause.⁷
• Patient may be considered for birch pollen immunotherapy.⁷

 rBet v 2, rBet v 4, rBet v6

• Pollen allergy symptoms may be caused by weed pollen, grass pollen, or tree pollens other than birch pollen.⁷

Test results should be interpreted by your healthcare provider in the context of your clinical history. Final diagnosis and decision on further management is made by your healthcare provider.

*These products may not be approved for clinical use in your country. Please work with your healthcare provider to understand availability.