美发现真菌有助于免疫系统的建立

 
根据一项最新研究显示，婴儿可以通过早期暴露于室内真菌分子，而获得对未来过敏反应的保护。

美国辛辛那提大学(UC; OH, USA)的科学家研究了574例暴露于真菌葡聚糖和内毒素(包括细菌在内的致病菌分泌的天然物质)的结果，这些婴儿入选辛辛那提童年过敏和空气污染研究(CCAAPS)，他们被鉴定为未来过敏的高危人群，因为他们双亲中至少有一位已经患了过敏症。研究人员收集灰尘样本并分析内室内过敏原、真菌葡聚糖和细菌内毒素。他们还收集了家庭相关信息，包括任何肉眼可见的霉和水损害。通过每年一次皮肤针刺检查来监测环境和食物过敏发病情况。

研究结果显示，暴露于高水平室内真菌成分（已知是真菌葡聚糖）的婴儿，与暴露于低水平的婴儿相比，发生喘鸣的可能要低3倍。这些研究结果发表在2007年5月的《过敏》期刊之上。

Fungus Helps Build the Immune System
 
Infants may be protected against future allergies by early exposure to indoor fungus molecules, claims a new study.

Scientists at the University of Cincinnati (UC; OH, USA) analyzed the effects of microbial exposures to both fungal glucans and endotoxins (natural compounds secreted from disease-causing agents like bacteria) in 574 infants, enrolled in the Cincinnati childhood allergy and air pollution study (CCAAPS), who were identified as being at greater risk for future allergies because at least one parent had known allergies. The researchers collected dust samples and analyzed them for indoor allergens, fungal glucans, and bacterial endotoxins. They also gathered information about the home, including the presence of any visible mold and water damage. Environmental and food allergy development was monitored through annual skin prick tests.

The results showed that that infants who were exposed to high levels of indoor fungal components--known as fungal glucans--were nearly three times less likely to wheeze compared with infants exposed to low levels. The findings were reported in the May 2007 edition of the journal Allergy.