Study: pet exposure protects babies

KFC changing their chickens

NEW YORK — KFC said Friday that it will stop serving chickens raised with certain antibiotics.

The fried chicken chain said the change will be completed by the end of next year at its more than 4,000 restaurants in the U.S.

It is working with more than 2,000 farms around the country to stop using antibiotics important to human medicine. Antibiotics specific to animals may still be used to treat diseases in the chickens, KFC said.

Meat producers give animals antibiotics to make them grow faster and prevent illness, a practice that has become a public health issue. Officials have said that it can lead to germs becoming resistant to drugs, making antibiotics no longer effective in treating some illnesses in humans.

EDMONTON — A family dog may be a baby’s best friend for avoiding allergies and becoming obese later in life, a new study suggests.

Research at the University of Alberta shows infants from families with furry pets, especially dogs, showed higher levels of two types of gut microbes associated with lower risks of obesity and allergic disease.

“The abundance of these bacteria were increased twofold when there was a pet in the house,” said Anita Kozyrskyj, a pediatric epidemiologist who is one of the world’s leading researchers on gut microbes.

The findings of her research team were published Thursday in the journal Microbiome.

The study theory suggests babies exposed to dirt and bacteria from a pet’s fur or paws can create early immunity. Higher levels of one of the microbes are associated with leanness and protect against obesity.