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An Antibiotic-Asthma Connection

WHAT'S BETTER FOR PREVENTING CHILDHOOD ASTHMA – ANTIBIOTICS… OR THE FAMILY DOG?  WE’LL HAVE THE SURPRISING ANSWER ON TODAY'S ENVIRONMINUTE. 

KEEP YOUR FAMILY DOG!  A NEW STUDY SHOWS THAT EXPOSURE TO THE ANIMAL’S GERMS CAN STRENGTHEN A BABY'S IMMUNITY AND REDUCE ITS RISK OF ASTHMA.  BUT THE SAME IS NOT TRUE OF ANTIBIOTICS.  RESEARCH BY ANITA KOZYRSKYJ OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA REVEALED THAT BABIES WHO RECEIVED BROAD SPECTRUM ANTIBIOTICS IN THEIR FIRST YEAR WERE MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP ASTHMA THAN THOSE WHO DID NOT.

SHE SAYS THIS MAY BE BECAUSE BROAD SPECTRUM ANTIBIOTICS KILL A WIDE RANGE OF BACTERIA. 

KOZYRSKYJ: THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO KILL OFF THESE QUOTE-UNQUOTE GOOD BACTERIA. THIS MAY AFFECT HOW THE IMMUNE SYSTEM DEVELOPS.

KOZYRSKYJ THREFORE SUGGESTS PHYSICIANS START BY PRESCRIBING NARROW SPECTRUM ANTIBIOTICS, AND USE BROAD SPECTRUM MEDICINE ONLY IF NECESSARY.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

To learn more about asthma, visit http://www.factsaboutasthma.com