根據(jù)一項(xiàng)最新研究顯示，嬰兒可以通過早期暴露于室內(nèi)真菌分子，而獲得對(duì)未來過敏反應(yīng)的保護(hù)。

美國(guó)辛辛那提大學(xué)(UC; OH, USA)的科學(xué)家研究了574例暴露于真菌葡聚糖和內(nèi)毒素(包括細(xì)菌在內(nèi)的致病菌分泌的天然物質(zhì))的結(jié)果，這些嬰兒入選辛辛那提童年過敏和空氣污染研究(CCAAPS)，他們被鑒定為未來過敏的高危人群，因?yàn)樗麄冸p親中至少有一位已經(jīng)患了過敏癥。研究人員收集灰塵樣本并分析內(nèi)室內(nèi)過敏原、真菌葡聚糖和細(xì)菌內(nèi)毒素。他們還收集了家庭相關(guān)信息，包括任何肉眼可見的霉和水損害。通過每年一次皮膚針刺檢查來監(jiān)測(cè)環(huán)境和食物過敏發(fā)病情況。

研究結(jié)果顯示，暴露于高水平室內(nèi)真菌成分（已知是真菌葡聚糖）的嬰兒，與暴露于低水平的嬰兒相比，發(fā)生喘鳴的可能要低3倍。這些研究結(jié)果發(fā)表在2007年5月的《過敏》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.