Environmental influences on childhood allergies and asthma — The Farm effect

Abstract

Asthma and allergies are major health problems and exert an enormous socioeconomic burden. Besides genetic predisposition, environmental factors play a crucial role in the development of these diseases in childhood. Multiple worldwide epidemiological studies have shown that children growing up on farms are immune to allergic diseases and asthma. Farm‐related exposures shape children's immune homeostasis, via mediators such as N‐glycolylneuraminic acid or arabinogalactan, or by diverse environmental microbes. Moreover, nutritional fact Show more