If you’ve noticed farm families rarely get sick and don’t seem bothered by the dust that makes other people sneeze and wheeze, your observations are on target.
“We know that children who grow up on farms where animals are raised have a lower likelihood of developing asthma, allergies and eczema,” said Dr. Matthew Keifer, former director of the National Farm Medicine Center (NFMC) at Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation. “That seems to hold true for their whole lives.”
But what makes farm families healthier?
NFMC researchers are working with scientists from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health to answer that question.
Researchers in Switzerland think the benefit is linked to a protein found in the lungs – at least for mice exposed to farm dust early in life. Scientists believe the same is true for humans but aren’t certain.
It’s also unknown what is present on farms that causes the benefit.
“Our strongest hypothesis is that it’s related to the bacteria, fungi or viruses on farms with animals,” Keifer said.
Farm immunity research at Marshfield Clinic
To pinpoint what keeps farm families healthy, NFMC researchers are studying 200 Marshfield area families with babies. Half the families live on farms and half of them don’t.
Researchers will take environmental samples and specimen samples, including nasal swabs, stool samples and breast milk samples; track exposure to farm animals and development of sickness; and measure growth of cells linked to immunity for all participants.
Scientists think kids exposed to farm microbes before they’re born or early in life have an immune advantage.
“An allergy is the body defending itself against something that’s not attacking it,” Keifer said. “It appears that exposure early in life teaches to the body to be less excited about things that aren’t hurting it.”
Treatment on the horizon
He hopes researchers will be able to use the study’s findings to develop a therapy to prevent asthma and allergies in people who don’t live on farms.
Being able to deliver the therapy like a vaccine would improve quality of life for many people, Keifer said.
The research study is still enrolling participants from farm and non-farm families. For more information, call the study hotline at 1-888-512-5488.
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I was raised on a dairy farm in Merrill. I along with everyone I knew drank raw milk. Didn't know or never heard of anyone getting sick from it. We must have developed immunity to those bugs at a very early age. Did those immunities also protect us from other things?
Could it be that families genetically prone to allergies, etc. over the years moved away from farms to avoid dust, pollen, and molds that may be more prevalent on farms.
That's a great question, Paul. Hopefully they get closer to the answer as research continues.
I spent the first 18 years of my life on a farm in North Dakota, think I was pretty healthy. The next 20 years I lived all over the world spending 20 years in the USAF, compared to others I knew I was pretty healthy then too. Since 1975 I lived in Antigo, WI. I have had my share if sickness here. Always wonder how much of it is or was because of living in Antigo. Am presently dealing with Diabetes that does not seem to be nearly as bad as others that I know who have it. I control my diabetes with diet and exercise, haven't taken any meds for diabetes for several years, my Drs agree that I have it under control and I believe I can keep it under control. I will appreciate assistance I can receive from the wellness team.
Thank You
Doug Sylfest