Some of those little things that bring great pleasure — a wonderfully scented candle, the soft fur of a beloved pet, a glass of good Chardonnay — may be triggering allergy and asthma attacks.

Allergy experts meeting this week in Boston at a conference of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology said they aren’t sure why an estimated 40 million to 50 million Americans now suffer from asthma and other allergy-related diseases, a number that has been rising, USA Today reports. The number of asthma sufferers alone has more than tripled during the past 25 years, to 22 million people.

Experts suspect air pollution, changes in diet and lifestyle, and genetic factors play a role in explaining why certain allergens trigger coughing, sneezing, hives, and asthma attacks.

One particular culprit is air fresheners.

"I've been seeing more and more adults who are having problems with air fresheners," says Atlanta allergist Stanley Fineman, president-elect of the allergists group. "They're coming in with all kinds of symptoms."

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