Microbial Gut Dysbiosis in Early Infancy Is Associated with Asthma Later in Life

During the past few decades, the prevalence of asthma and other allergic diseases has increased dramatically. One theory is the hygiene hypothesis, which holds that today's immune systems are less stimulated by farm, dirt, and animal microbes than were immune systems in previous generations. Another theory blames shifts in the human microbiome. Researchers examined 319 children enrolled in the Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development Study to determine if altered gut flora are associated with asthma.

Children at high risk for asthma (defined as wheezing and positive skin prick tests at age 1 year) had received more courses of antibiotics during their first year of life than had controls; high-risk children were more often born by cae…