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Comparative Study
. 2010 Aug;126(2):410-2, 412.e1-3.
doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.05.042. Epub 2010 Jul 14.

Man's best friend? The effect of pet ownership on house dust microbial communities

Kei E Fujimura, Christine C Johnson, Dennis R Ownby, Michael J Cox, Eoin L Brodie, Suzanne L Havstad, Edward M Zoratti, Kimberley J Woodcroft, Kevin R Bobbitt, Ganesa Wegienka, Homer A Boushey, Susan V Lynch
Comparative Study

Man's best friend? The effect of pet ownership on house dust microbial communities

Kei E Fujimura et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010 Aug.

Abstract

Pet-ownership, which has been shown to be protective against allergic disease development, is associated with increased house dust bacterial diversity and fewer fungal species, suggesting a potentially microbial-based mechanism for this protective effect.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Comparison of bacterial community A. Richness, B. Diversity and C. Evenness, in dog, cat and no pet samples.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Two groups of house dust samples (G1 and G2) are distinguished by hierarchical cluster analysis. D = households with dogs, C = households with cats, NP = households with no pets.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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