Asthma and allergies are increasing in the industrialised countries. Old theories about allergy prevention have been challenged and new theories are only taking shape. Exposures during pregnancy and early childhood, however, appear to be crucial and therefore our research focuses on the prevalence and determinants of asthma and allergies in childhood. Our main research tools are prospective cohort studies beginning from pregnancy, with focus on environmental microbial exposures. These exposures may provoke respiratory symptoms, but also divert the immune system development in early childhood away from allergies. This is exemplified in the lower prevalence of allergies among children living in farms.
We have used existing cohorts, like those started in 1966 and 1985/86 by University of Oulu to study the influence of perinatal factors on the the risk of allergy in later life. The prevalence of asthma and allergy in Finland has been assessed by the ISAAC study. Main current projects, like ALMA and PASTURE focus on the protective effect of the farming environment. However