Natural Sciences Active Updated Aug 3, 2026
Scientists identify the exact farm bacteria that prevent childhood asthma
For decades the farm effect explained why children raised near livestock develop far less asthma and allergy than city kids, but nobody knew which microbes were responsible. Helmholtz Munich researchers analyzing mattress dust and cow shed air pinned two-thirds of the protective effect to nine specific bacteria species, opening a path toward giving kids who never live near a farm the same protection.
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Aug 3, 2026 Latest
A team led by epidemiologist Markus Ege at Helmholtz Munich analyzed mattress dust from 1,018 rural South German schoolchildren and air from 47 cow sheds and identified nine bacteria species, including Romboutsia timonensis and Glutamicibacter arilaitensis, that together account for two-thirds of the protective effect against asthma and half the effect against hay fever and eczema.
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