Atopic diseases like asthma and eczema are on the increase in industrialised countries. It is possible that exposure to pesticides as well as to air pollution is to blame.

To test this hypothesis Eva Reichrtova and colleagues at the Institute of Preventive and Clinical Medicine in Bratislava (Slovakia) analysed the organochlorine levels in placentas and the immunoglobulin E levels in babies' cord blood, and compared these to the levels of atopic illness region by region. They found a direct correlation. The babies whose placentas contained higher levels of organophosphates also had higher levels of immunoglobulin E in their cord blood (serum) and experienced higher levels of atopic illness. Not surprisingly, the highest levels were found in the more industrialised regions.

Ed.- This probably also explains the huge surge of asthma in more industrialised countries. The link between asthma and transport emissions is far less strong than people imagine.