‘Hygiene’ effect raises asthma risk

Infants are more likely to be at risk of asthma if four specific types of bacteria are missing from their guts, a study has found.

Animal tests also showed that the bugs appear to protect against airway inflammation and asthma in offspring.

The research provides strong support for the “hygiene hypothesis” that suggests over-clean conditions may be making babies more vulnerable to asthma and other allergy disorders.