A measure of microbial biodiversity in the childhood home has some protection of later atopy, but not as good as being born on a farm

This extends the work on early life farm exposure and other measures of microbial biodiversity to adults, showing a continued protective effect on the reduction of atopy. Biodiversity was scored by schooling or play schooling under 5, early life dog in the home, sharing bedrooms and having older sibs. For inner city residents a higher biodiversity score was associated with less atopy.

References

	Campbell B, Raherison C, Lodge CJ, Lowe AJ, Gislason T, Heinrich J, Sunyer J, Gómez Real F, Norbäck D, Matheson MC, Wjst M, Dratva J, de Marco R, Jarvis D, Schlünssen V, Janson C, Leynaert B, Svanes C, Dharmage SC, Original article: The effects of growing up on a farm on adult lung function and allergic phenotypes: an international population-based study, Thorax, 2017;72:236-244,

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