Country life protects against asthma – now we know why – the Swedish Radio

Growing up on a farm is a good protection against developing asthma – we already know and now provides new research partly explains: remnants of bacteria in the dust on farms starts a reaction in the lungs that helps to protect against asthma.

– It’s both more natural and better air in the countryside than in the city. But as convenient parent, I take that chance with my child and stay here in town, says Kalle Milfors in a park in Stockholm.

Johanna Sundberg also live in the inner city of Stockholm, but would be happy to move out of town with their children .

– Yes, I would gladly do.

But you live in town?

– I live in the town but we are in the country on weekends. We hang a lot of the stall. It is not so much the cows but the horses, she says.

A group of European researchers are publishing new results in the journal Science. It’s about how remnants of bacteria in the dust on farms triggers a reaction in the lungs that helps to protect against allergic asthma.

Eva Sverremark- Ekström is allergy researcher and professor at the University of Stockholm. She was not involved in the new study but also researches allergies. She welcomes the fact that it has now reached a new piece of the puzzle of how the relationship looks like between life on the farm, and the reduced risk of developing allergic asthma.

– It confirms things we already know , it confirms the “hygiene hypothesis”, and the interaction between the development of microorganisms and the development of allergies but simultaneously adds the new piece of the puzzle in that you study this specific enzyme and it has not done in the past, she says.

Earlier research also shows that protection is greatest if there are cows on the farm.

– The strongest association is seen where there is cattle, but cattle in the most general, as the saying says Eva Sverre Mark

The study confirms also what is known as the “hygiene hypothesis” then it might be good to be exposed to little dirt. Eva Sverre Mark Ekstrom do not think you should quit clean but the antibacterial agent can be avoided.

– It might just be a little careful not to use products that remove all bacteria and all viruses in all contexts.

Karin Nilsson
karin.nilsson@sverigesradio.se