Clean drinking water linked to asthma risk in kids : The Tribune India

Join Whatsapp Channel

Clean drinking water linked to asthma risk in kids

TORONTO:Access to good, clean water may be associated with a higher risk of asthma in children as they are deprived of the beneficial microbes, a new Ecuadorian study has claimed.

Clean drinking water linked to asthma risk in kids

iStock



 Toronto, February 18

Access to good, clean water may be associated with a higher risk of asthma in children as they are deprived of the beneficial microbes, a new Ecuadorian study has claimed.

Researchers at University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada have found a yeast in the gut of new babies in Ecuador in South America that appears to be a strong predictor that they will develop asthma in childhood.

The new research furthers our understanding of the role microscopic organisms play in our overall health, researchers said.

"Children with this type of yeast called Pichia were much more at risk of asthma. This is the first time anyone has shown any kind of association between yeast and asthma," said Brett Finlay, microbiologist at UBC.

In previous research, Finlay and his colleagues identified four gut bacteria in Canadian children that, if present in the first 100 days of life, seem to prevent asthma.

In a follow up to this study, they repeated the experiment using fecal samples and health information from 100 children in a rural village in Ecuador.

Canada and Ecuador both have high rates of asthma with about 10 per cent of the population suffering from the disease.

They found that while gut bacteria play a role in preventing asthma in Ecuador, it was the presence of a microscopic fungus or yeast known as Pichia that was more strongly linked to asthma.

Instead of helping to prevent asthma, however, the presence of Pichia in those early days puts children at risk.

Finlay also suggests there could be a link between the risk of asthma and the cleanliness of the environment for Ecuadorian children.

As part of the study, the researchers noted whether children had access to clean water.

"Those that had access to good, clean water had much higher asthma rates and we think it is because they were deprived of the beneficial microbes," said Finlay.

"That was a surprise because we tend to think that clean is good but we realise that we actually need some dirt in the world to help protect you," said Finlay.

Now Finlay's colleagues will re-examine the Canadian samples and look for the presence of yeast in the gut of infants. — PTI

Top News

Arvind Kejriwal to be produced before Delhi court today as 6-day ED custody ends

Excise policy case: Delhi court extends ED custody of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till April 1

In his submissions, Kejriwal said, ‘I am named by 4 witnesse...

Delhi High Court dismisses PIL to remove Arvind Kejriwal from CM post after arrest

Delhi High Court dismisses PIL to remove Arvind Kejriwal from CM post after arrest

The bench refuses to comment on merits of the issue, saying ...

‘Unwarranted, unacceptable’: India on US remarks on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest

‘Unwarranted, unacceptable’: India on US remarks on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest

MEA spokesperson says India is proud of its independent and ...

Bullying Congress culture, no wonder being rejected: PM Modi, backs senior lawyers who flagged attempts to undermine public trust in judiciary

Bullying Congress culture, no wonder being rejected: PM Modi

Backs senior lawyers who flagged attempts to undermine publi...

Gujarat court sentences former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt to 20 years in jail in 1996 drug case

Gujarat court sentences former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt to 20 years in jail in 1996 drug case

Bhatt, who was sacked from the force in 2015, is already beh...


Cities

View All