RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Effect of farming environment on sensitisation to allergens continues after childhood
JF Occupational and Environmental Medicine
JO Occup Environ Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 607
OP 611
DO 10.1136/oem.2004.014852
VO 62
IS 9
A1 H O Koskela
A1 K K Happonen
A1 S T Remes
A1 J Pekkanen
YR 2005
UL http://oem.bmj.com/content/62/9/607.abstract
AB Aims: The farming environment in childhood has been reported to decrease the risk of sensitisation to allergens. The purpose of the present study was to explore whether later exposure to a farming environment also could affect this sensitisation. Methods: A population based sample of 202 women who did not live on a farm and 231 who did. The subjects filled in a questionnaire and underwent skin prick tests for several common and farming related allergens. Results: The prevalence of sensitisation to any of the allergens was similar in the two groups (37.1 v 34.6% (p = NS). However, compared with women who did not live on a farm, the women who lived on a dairy farm showed a low prevalence of sensitisation to pollens (4.4 v 17.3%, p = 0.01) and cats (3.5 v 10.4%, p = 0.047). The risk of sensitisation to pollens and pets was lowest among women with both a childhood and adulthood farming environment and was dose dependently associated with current contact with farm animals. However, this contact increased the risk of sensitisation to bovine dander. Conclusion: The farming environment may reduce sensitisation to common allergens also after early childhood. However, it may also increase sensitisation to farm allergens.