生物谷报道：德国的一项最新研究显示，2周岁以下的孩子与猫接触得越多，就越容易对猫产生过敏症状。但这种过敏症状会在孩子6岁以后逐渐消失。
德国国立环境与健康研究中心的Joachim Heinrich博士的研究小组针对2166名从新生儿到6周岁不等的孩子进行这项研究。该研究小组发现，在孩子3个月大时，家里灰尘中猫过敏源越多，孩子到2岁时出现猫过敏症状的可能性就越大。
但是孩子不会终身罹患这种猫过敏症状。到6岁以后，接触猫过敏源的孩子都不再发生任何过敏反应或相关疾病了。
研究还发现，那些家里不养猫，但经常和动物接触的孩子特别容易患上过敏，如果父母有过敏症状的话，这种机率又会更高了。
本篇研究报告发表于2007年5月的Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology中。
(资料来源 : Reuters)
原始出处:
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume 119, Issue 5, Pages 1148-1155 (May 2007)
Longitudinal study on cat allergen exposure and the development of allergy in young children
Chih-Mei Chen, MScab, Peter Rzehak, PhDab, Anne Zutavern, MDac, Bärbel Fahlbusch, PhDd, Wolfgang Bischof, MDe, Olf Herbarth, PhDf, Michael Borte, MD, PhDgh, Irina Lehmann, PhDi, Heidrun Behrendt, MDj, Ursula Krämer, PhDk, H.-Erich Wichmann, MD, PhDab, Joachim Heinrich, PhDa</FORM>-->
Received 5 December 2006; received in revised form 24 January 2007; accepted 9 February 2007 published online 13 April 2007.
Neuherberg, Munich, Jena, Leipzig, and Düsseldorf, Germany
Background
The influence of cat allergen exposure in early childhood on the development of sensitization and allergic diseases is complex. Little is known about the natural course of the sensitization development within individuals.
Objective
We investigated the association between cat allergen exposure in infancy and cat ownership and cat contact during childhood and the development of cat sensitization and allergic diseases up to age 6 years using a longitudinal analysis approach.
Methods
Overall, 2166 children from an ongoing birth cohort study were included in the analysis. House dust samples were collected 3 months after birth. Cat allergen levels were extracted. Blood samples were collected when the children were 2 and 6 years old. Information on the allergic symptoms of children and doctor-diagnosed allergic disease were collected at each follow-up using questionnaires.
Results
Cat allergen exposure in infancy was positively associated with sensitization at age 2 years but not at age 6 years. No associations existed between cat allergen exposure in infancy and allergic symptoms and diseases up to age 6 years. Cumulative allergen exposure from cat ownership and regular cat contact increased the risk of cat sensitization up to age 6 years.
Conclusion
Cat allergen exposure in infancy increases the risk of sensitization development in early childhood but not in school-age children. Cumulative allergen exposure from cat ownership and regular cat contact during childhood contribute to sensitization development up to school age.
Clinical implications
Cat allergen avoidance at home alone might be not effective to prevent the development of allergic sensitization in young children.
Key words: Allergy, cats, children, cohort study, house dust, ownership, sensitization
