Cats may increase risk for infant eczema

Some children who are exposed to cats in their first year of life may have an increased risk for eczema, a new study reveals.

What’s responsible for the increased risk?

Mutation in the gene for filaggrin, a protein on the skin that helps reduce water loss and protects against harsh environment.

As reported in Medpage Today, scientists from the Copenhagen Study on Asthma in Childhood found that eczema was likely to develop among children who have the mutation and who have a cat in their home at birth. Only those children with the mutation have the increased risk. Likewise, exposure to dogs at home did not increase the risk of developing eczema.

source: medpagetoday;
image: sxc