Microbiome: allergic diseases of childhood

Abstract

Recent interest has focused on the microbiome modulating immune responses, and thus playing a significant role in the development of many diseases, including allergic responses. "Dysbiosis," alteration in the normal microbiome, does have an effect on inflammation and may also influence the course of the disease. In this chapter, we discuss the influence of the microbiome on common pediatric allergic diseases: food allergy, atopic dermatitis, asthma, and allergic rhinitis. These diseases stem from common immune mechanisms, and are part of a progressive "Atopic March" phenomenon, which will be introduced in this chapter. We explain how the microbiome is related to allergic diseases in both human and murine studies. Studying the microbiome in the context of allergic diseases has the potential to elucidate ways of manipulating the microbiome in disease in general. With further studies in the field, we may be able to modulate the immune response and the disease course by understanding the relationship between the microbiome and the immune response.