Antibiotics, Dogs Linked to Asthma
Reported June 13, 2007
(Ivanhoe Newswire) — Exposure to lots of germs may be just what the doctor ordered to keep your child from developing asthma. A new study links early antibiotic use to an increased risk of asthma, while exposure to a dog appears to lessen a child’s asthma risk.
Researchers from the University of Manitoba and McGill University in Montreal report children who are given antibiotics before their first birthday are significantly more likely to develop asthma by age 7. The risk of developing asthma doubled for children administered antibiotics if they were not also exposed to a dog.
The germs brought into a home by a dog are thought to help an infant’s immune system develop normally, according to study authors. One hypothesis for what causes asthma is early exposure to microbes helps a child’s body develop a stronger immune system, making the child less likely to develop asthma. “We hypothesize that lesser contact with dogs during infancy results in a lower microbial load and makes infants more vulnerable to the effects of antibiotics,” write the study authors.
Researchers report several factors influence the likelihood of a child developing asthma by age seven. More courses of antibiotics increased the risk, with children who took four courses having 1.5-times the risk of asthma compared to children who did not take antibiotics. Additionally, children who developed asthma were more likely to have used a specific type of antibiotic, called BS cephalosporins.
Study authors concluded more studies are needed to better understand what role antibiotic use and other risk factors play in the development of asthma. “In the interim, it would be prudent to avoid the unnecessary use BS antibiotics in the first year of life when other antibiotics are available,” wrote the study authors.
SOURCE: CHEST, 131:1753-1759