Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have added weight to the argument that there is a link between exposure to bacteria and immune system disorders.
They have been monitoring a group of over 400 children for 12 years and have found that the greater diversity of bacteria in their rectums during infancy the lower the chance of developing allergies during childhood. The work is part of a long running study of the children and has been published in the September issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.