News release, December 02, 2010 Lower occurrence of atopic
dermatitis in children thanks to farm animals and cats Children
whose mothers are exposed to farm animals and cats are better
protected against atopic dermatitis and are less likely to
develop this painful inflammation of the skin in their first two
years of life. A group of researchers from the University of
Zurich and other universities have published evidence supporting
this theory in the «Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology.»
Atopic dermatitis (also known as atopic eczema) is a chronic and
extremely painful inflammation of the skin that frequently
occurs in early childhood, generally already in infancy. Up to
20 percent of all children in industrialized countries are
affected, making it one of the most common childhood skin
diseases. The need to better understand this disease is all the
greater considering the intense suffering it causes in small
children. Atopic dermatitis is, however, an allergic condition
and all allergic reactions result