The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7211 p207
17 August 2002

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The Lancet (www.thelancet.com)

Allergies and exposure to bacteria

A new study supports the theory that the children of farmers have fewer allergies because they are exposed to more microbes. Such children express genes encoding for the receptor proteins CD14 and TLR2 more than other children, say researchers. Increased expression of these genes occurs after exposure to certain bacterial components and can modulate the innate immune system (Lancet 2002;360:465).