19 November 2020Bed dust microorganisms may boost children's healthMicrobiology In the most extensive study of its kind, researchers from the University of Copenhagen, in collaboration with the Danish Pediatric Asthma Center at Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, have found a link between microorganisms living in the dust of children's beds and the children's own bacteria. The correlation suggests that microorganisms may reduce a child's risk of developing asthma, allergies and autoimmune diseases later on in life. It is the largest study of its kind, the aim of which was to determine which environmental factors affected the composition of microorganisms in the bed dust and if there was a correlation between bed dust microorganisms and the bacteria in the children’s airways. "We see a correlation between the bacteria we find in bed dust and those we find in the children. The researchers’ next step is to investigate whether the differences in bacterial flora in bed dust can be correlated dire
