Huffnagle and Noverr will discuss details of the experiment in a symposia lecture and poster presentation at the ASM meeting. Complete data from the study has been submitted for publication in a future issue of Infection and Immunity.

Huffnagle maintains that disruptions in the growth of bacteria and fungi in the GI tract somehow interfere with the ability of regulatory T cells to dampen the immune response to respiratory allergens. In future research, he hopes to determine exactly how gastrointestinal microbes are involved in the process of immune system modulation.

We know from laboratory experiments that dietary antioxidants called polyphenols, which are found in fruits and vegetables, can limit fungal growth and that a diet high in saturated fats and sugars slows the recovery of normal gut microflora, Huffnagle adds. The Mediterranean diet is rich in sources of polyphenols, so it's intriguing that Mediterranean-diet countries have lower rates of allergies, asthma and other inflammatory diseases than Western-diet countries like the United States , Canada and England .

If we can determine exactly how microflora in the GI tract affect the immune system, it may be possible one day to prevent or treat allergies and inflammatory diseases with diet changes or probiotics “ dietary supplements of healthy' bacteria designed to restore the normal balance of microbes in the gut, Huffnagle adds. In the medical community, probiotic therapy is becoming an area of increasing interest.

Until then, Huffnagle emphasizes the importance of a healthy low-sugar diet, with lots of raw fruits and vegetables, after being treated with antibiotics to help restore the normal mix of microbes in your GI tract as quickly as possible. The old saying, an apple a day keeps the doctor away' may be more true than we thought, he says.

Huffnagle's research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and a New Investigator Award from the Burroughs-Wellcome Fund. Other collaborators in the research include Dennis M. Lindell, a U-M graduate student in immunology, and Rachel Noggle, a research assistant in internal medicine.

Notes: This is a basic scientific research study conducted in laboratory mice. Much additional research will be required before scientists will know if these results can be applied directly to people. Your physician is the best source of advice for questions about antibiotics and treatment of asthma, allergies and other inflammatory diseases.

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