Study connects urban living with increased asthma and allergy risk

Researchers in the USA and UK have found that people living in urban centres may be more likely to experience asthma and other allergies.

The paper, published in the journal Clinical & Experimental Immunology, explored the evolution of societies and how changes in the way humans have lived over time have affected the development of inflammatory conditions, such as asthma and allergies.  

The findings suggest that people living in busy city centres may be more likely to develop these conditions due to the different germs they now come into contact with, compared to the germs found in more rural areas.

The researchers also suggested that some commons factors seen in urban populations, such as violence, crime and poverty could add to the above effect and increase susceptibility to a wide range of conditions.  

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