Modifying the Balance - What is the role of the gut microbiome in allergy disease?

This presentation focuses on the role of the gut microbiota for the development of immune tolerance and goes on to describe dysbiosis in early life microbiota and gut microbiota modulation strategies.  While immune cells and organs proliferate rapidly in the first trimester of pregnancy, recent research shows that they are highly responsive to environmental stimuli throughout life. 

Christina West cites a number of studies that have looked at the onset of allergic diseases such as eczema,  food allergy and asthma. She notes we now know that the gut microbiota is tunable – new intervention strategies should aim at optimizing both maternal and infant colonization to promote tolerance acquisition.