The early use and exposure to antibiotics can actually kill healthy bacteria in the digestive tract that can cause asthma and allergies, according to a new study that was conducted on mice.  

The study, published in 'Mucosal Immunology', has provided the strongest evidence, so far, that the long-observed connection between antibiotic exposure in early childhood and later development of asthma and allergies is causal.

"The practical implication is simple: avoid antibiotic use in young children whenever you can because it may elevate the risk of significant, long-term problems with allergy and/or asthma," said Martin Blaser, director of the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine at Rutgers University in the US. In the study, the researchers from Rutgers, New York University and the University of Zurich, noted that antibiotics, "among the most used medications in children, affect gut microbiome communities and metabolic functions. These changes in microbiota structure can impact host immunity."