Allergy fix

The allergy epidemic in children is the focus of a new report by CBC’s The Nature of Things.

“I’m very excited about the idea that we might be able to look at the stool and the bacteria within the stool samples of those children and maybe identify species of bacteria that are beneficial and species that are harmful,” said Stuart Turvey, associate professor of pediatrics at UBC’s Faculty of Medicine, who is helping to lead a study on the allergy increase in children. “That knowledge could potentially allow us to intervene and reach the Holy Grail which is the prevention of these diseases.”

According to a study by UBC microbiologist Brett Finlay, antibiotics given to children could be killing off certain strains of bacteria that helps create a healthy immune system.