AR-News: (NZ) Cuddling cows may combat asthma

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

Children growing up in contact with farm animals in rural areas are more 
likely to be protected against allergic asthma than their city cousins.

Research around the world has suggested exposure to animals may play a key 
role in protecting children against atopic, or allergic, asthma, which accounts 
for about half of New Zealand asthma sufferers. Dr Jeroen Douwes, from the 
Centre for Public Health Research, is leading a research project to uncover 
whether the same can be said for New Zealand children and what might be behind the 
findings.

“It appears that there is something in the lifestyles of farming families 
that is protecting them from getting allergic asthma. This is something positive 
for the rural community. If we can identify what factors are creating the 
protective effect then hopefully we will be able to develop tools that can help 
protect others.

“If there is an association between life on a farm and low levels of allergic 
asthma in New Zealand then we can compare the results with the European work. 
We might then be able to exclude a number of possible causes that are 
different from Europe and identify what it is that might help prevent allergic asthma.
”








full story:

http://masseynews.massey.ac.nz/2004/Massey_News/feb/feb23/stories/14-02-04.htm
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"The world is a dangerous place,
not because of those who do evil,
but because of those who look on and do nothing."
Albert Einstein    

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         There is no justice, just us!  
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