dos Santos K, Lodge CJ, Abramson MJ, et al. - In view of the possibility that early postnatal exposure to antibiotics may result in the development of asthma and the possibility that antibiotic exposure may impair lung function, researchers here examined if specific types of antibiotics may have a greater effect, or if children with genetic mutations in the oxidative stress response glutathione S-transferase (GST) superfamily may be at greater risk. A birth cohort of 620 infants with a family history of allergy provided parent-reported data of childhood antibiotic use from birth to 2 years, including type and indication. Participants underwent spirometry at age 12 and 18 years and were genotyped for GST-P, GST-M, and GST-T polymorphisms. The analysis revealed no correlation of increasing exposure to oral antibiotics in early postnatal life with reduced lung function in children with a family history of allergic diseases. Although children should be given minimal antibiotics, concerns regarding long-term lung health should not be a driving influence for this rationalization of use.