A new study by Estonian scientists suggests that children living near green spaces with a diverse community of soil bacteria have a significantly lower risk of developing allergies later in life.
It has long been observed that children raised in farming environments are less likely to develop asthma, hay fever, or allergies. For the first time, the new study claims to have identified the specific bacteria responsible for this so-called 'farm effect.'
Percentage of children aged 3 to 14 in Germany affected by asthma, according to the Robert Koch Institute.
The new findings allow researchers to decipher the farm effect’s mechanisms.
The new findings enable researchers in the laboratory to decipher the molecular and cellular mechanisms of the farm effect. This raises hopes for a drug that could mimic the protective effect without requiring children to spend time in a cow shed.
A future drug could be preventive, but efficacy will take years to confirm.
