NATURE and nurture both play a role in eczema, but few genes have been linked to specific environmental risks. Now a gene mutation that predisposes youngsters to the skin condition seems to pose a greater risk if they are also exposed to cats.
In 2006, a mutation in the gene for the protein filaggrin – which keeps foreign substances out of the skin – was shown to increase the risk of eczema. About 9 per cent of people of European origin carry this mutation.
To find out whether an environmental trigger might also play a role, a team led by Hans Bisgaard…
