 |
| Image: Pixabay |
The Amish Community has
been known for the modern technologies and their life style, significantly
using horses for farming and for transport. Now in closer look the people in
that community have unexpected benefit that can prevent asthma in children. A
new study by US scientists published their report at The New England
Journal of Medicine that children’s immune system in Amish Community
was bolstered with house dust that contains more microbes as brought by farm
animals.
The researchers
compared their study between the Amish Community and Hutterites who use more modern
farming methods. Both of them have similar genetic ancestry and also follow
similar diets so what’s the difference? There are about 21.3% of Hutterite
children are more prone to Asthma than 5$ of Amish Children.
The study echoes the
thoughts that lack of early exposure to microbes due to modern hygiene increases
the risk of allergy. The dust in the home is much richer with microbes.
"Neither the Amish
nor the Hutterites have dirty homes," said study co-author Carole Ober,
professor and chairman of human genetics at the University of Chicago.
"Both are tidy. The Amish barns, however, are much closer to their homes.
Their children run in and out of them, often barefoot, all day long. There's no
obvious dirt in the Amish homes, no lapse of cleanliness. It's just in the air
and in the dust." – As said to BBC.
In a test of about 30
Amish Children had more neutrophils that are crucial for fighting infections
and fewer eosinophils that lead to allergic response. Laboratory mice while
exposed to Amish dust were also protected from Asthma.
"We hope that our
findings will allow the identification of relevant substances that will lead to
completely novel strategies to prevent asthma and allergy," said co-author
of the paper, Erika von Mutius, Professor at Dr von Hauner Children's Hospital
in Munich.
Source: BBC News
0 comments:
Post a Comment