A recent study in Eco-Environment & Health reveals key findings about asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR), highlighting the critical roles of indoor microorganisms and metabolites in these respiratory conditions.
This study, conducted by researchers in China and Malaysia, focuses on indoor metabolites and chemicals—the products of both microbial and human activity in the home environment. Using high-throughput technologies, the team compared the dust composition of homes with children diagnosed with asthma, AR, or both, with homes of healthy children.
The analysis revealed distinct differences in the chemical profiles of the two groups. Homes with diseased children had higher levels of mycotoxins (toxic fungal metabolites) and synthetic chemicals like herbicides, insecticides, and food/cosmetic additives. Conversely, homes of healthy children were enriched with beneficial environmental microbes and metabolites like keto acids, indoles, pyridines, and flavonoids (astragalin and hesperidin).
The researchers developed a model based on these characteristic metabolites and chemicals that could accurately predict the prevalence of asthma and AR in an independent dataset from Malaysia. This suggests that analyzing dust for its chemical fingerprint may be a more reliable and consistent way to assess environmental risk for these diseases than studying the complex and variable microbiome.
The researchers say the study’s findings pave the way for “exciting new possibilities” in preventing and managing childhood asthma and AR. By testing for specific metabolites in household dust, homes with unhealthy chemical profiles could potentially be identified and targeted interventions implemented. This could involve promoting the growth of beneficial microbes through probiotic sprays or adjusting ventilation systems to reduce toxin exposure.
“In conclusion, this study marks a significant shift in our understanding of the environmental factors contributing to childhood asthma and AR,” according to the researchers in a release. “By prioritizing indoor metabolites and chemicals, we may finally have a robust and practical tool for environmental assessment and, ultimately, the creation of ‘metabolically healthy’ homes for our children.”
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