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Bacteria living on dogs prevent asthma development
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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"These microbes can become a protective barrier for a child against a disease such as asthma." This conclusion was made by specialists from the University of California, led by Dr. Kei Fujimura. According to scientists, bacteria living on animals serve as a kind of barrier for the respiratory syncytial virus, which increases the risk of asthma.
Indeed, bacterial communities in houses with and without animals differ significantly in composition. And if a dog lives in a house, the child is unlikely to develop asthma in the future. In order to thoroughly understand this issue, scientists collected dust samples taken from different houses, and then fed the samples to mice along with food.
Eight days later, the animals were injected with respiratory syncytial virus, while their immune response was monitored. Thus, those mice that received samples taken from houses where dogs lived showed no signs of inflammation or mucus production. Plus, bacterial communities were found in the gastrointestinal tract of the mice that were fundamentally different from the control group.
It is the microflora in the intestines that is the defense against the virus. It is quite possible that if the body is exposed at a young age, then immunity to diseases such as asthma will develop. Further research is required to confirm this.
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