Lung microbes protect against asthma

Whether or not people develop asthma may be determined in the first few weeks after birth according to a study of mice. The study suggests that microbes in the lungs stimulate the newborn’s immune system. Our lungs were long considered to be germfree and sterile. It was only recently discovered that, like our intestines and skin, our respiratory organs are colonized by bacteria. Now, tests conducted on mice have shown that these lung microbes offer protection against allergic asthma.