Loss of biodiversity could trigger rising allergy levels among millions of urban dwellers worldwide which includes greater incidence of asthma allergies and other chronic inflammatory diseases says a Finnish study. Emerging evidence indicates that commensal (harmless) microbes inhabiting the skin airway and gut protect against inflammatory disorders. However little is known about the environmental determinants of the microbiome (totality of microbes). Ilkka Hanski bioscientist from University of Helsinki investigated whether reduced human contact with nature and biodiversity influences the composition of skin bugs and allergen sensitivity in a random sample of 118 teenagers the journal Publication of the National Academy of Sciences
