PASTURE - Protection against Allergy: Study in Rural Environments FORALLVENT - Forum for Allergy Prevention EFRAIM - Mechanisms of early protective exposures on allergy development

The birth cohort study is being conducted in predominantly rural areas throughout Europe in the 5 centres of Munich, Salzburg, Basel, Kuopio and Besançon.

The aim is to find out which exposures have an effect on the development of childhood atopic diseases. Furthermore, immunological and genetic mechanisms that determine individual reactions to these environmental influences are being investigated.

In the long term, these findings could be used to develop prevention strategies.

To this end, pregnant farm and non-farm women were targeted during antenatal classes. Each centre should recruit at least 100 farming and non-farming families and observe them over time.

Questionnaire survey:

- of exposures and disease outcomes at the following time points:

Pregnancy and at the child's age of 2 months, 1 year, 18 months, and further annual surveys (up to the child's current age of 6 years)

- Diaries were completed partly weekly, partly monthly at the age of

3-12 months. Data on breastfeeding, other nutrition, agricultural exposures, other lifestyle factors, etc. were collected

Sampling:

- Blood samples from mother, umbilical cord blood, father and child at various times, including for the determination of IgE, cytokines, DNA, RNA

- Breast milk, stool, cow's milk and dust samples at different times

Physical examinations at the ages of 1, 4 and 6 years (partly with determination of atopic dermatitis and measurement of lung function at different times)