Scientists say they can explain how giving common antibiotics to infants increases the risk of serious allergies.
A detailed study of the drug vancomycin shows how it may affect the gut of young children.
The Canadian study reinforces theories which have suggested that excessively protecting children from bacteria may aggravate risk of allergy.
The latest findings show how the drug alters the make-up of the beneficial bacteria that reside in human gut.
One British expert, Leanne Metcalf, of Asthma UK, said: "In developed countries where we see lower levels of bacteria and infection because of modern cleaning and medical practices, we also see higher rates of asthma. This is because these practices encourage the immune system to become over-sensitive to substances in the environment that are not harmful, causing conditions like allergic asthma.
"Any information which helps us to understand how the way we treat infections in our children can influence their susceptibility to asthma and allergies, and how badly they are affected, is greatly welcomed."
The findings, reported in the journal EMBO, come from a study of laboratory mice.
Researcher Brett Finlay, of the University of British Columbia, Canada, said: “Modern societal practices, such as improved sanitation methods and widespread antibiotic use, are causing the disappearance of ancestral species of bacteria in our gut that may be critical to a healthy immune system.
“Our study shows this is the case with certain antibiotics and allergic asthma, and the gut-lung connection is also consistent with observations that incidence of asthma has not increased significantly in developing countries where antibiotic use is less prevalent – and in turn, the gut flora is permitted to fully develop."
EMBO March 16 2012
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