A child’s surroundings in the first couple of years of birth could influence the inherited risk of developing eczema, research suggests, with proximity to dogs particularly lessening the strength of one genetic variant.

The findings, published in Allergy , suggest that although people may be genetically predisposed to the dry, inflamed skin condition, exposure to certain environmental factors can increase or decrease this risk.

Altogether, seven factors including antibiotic use and having an elder sibling showed an interaction with genes predisposing to eczema, with exposure to dogs being particularly powerful.

The study is the largest and most comprehensive analysis to date investigating the interaction between genes and environment in atopic eczema, the investigators claim.

Resea

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